Watership Down Series
by Drewmoviefan
Summary: Based by the Watership Down TV series with twists, a band of rabbits search for a new home and arrived, they're being joined by a unexpected guest... a human! (Collaboration with Supernova2015).
1. Episode 1: The Promise Land Part 1

The Promise Land Part 1

Author's Note: The original plot of series belongs to creators, writers, and director of the series. However, adding some twist. Some episodes will be split into two or more parts in a episode.

Seven rabbits were resting after what they were on a long journey. A young kitten with a brown fur started to chase after a butterfly flying about.

"Stay close Pipkin." the rabbit with a tough voice and have a lion maned fur.

A young brown-hazel furred rabbit watches the kitten going after the butterfly, until he began to shiver as he was seeing something that no can. He than gasped with a little fright.

"What can you see Fiver?" the taller same colored rabbit asked.

" _High lonely hills. Where the wind carries every whisper_." Fiver visioned.

"That's where we have to go Hazel. That's where we'll find our new home." Fiver than said.

"Is it far?" Hazel asked.

Before Fiver could answer, they heard a strange yell from the distance. As they were prepared to move quick, they looked up towards the sky to see a strange bird flying about aimlessly. The bird wasn't a threat to them, so they return at ease.

"I've never seen a bird like that one. He's not _eili_ , is he?" the young kitten was curious.

A light blue colored doe rabbit chuckled. "Not all birds are enemies Pipkin, he's just a gull."

"Young bucks these days don't know a thing about the world." the lion maned rabbit shook his head.

"And being in a captain of _Owsla_ , you must know everything, huh Bigwig." a gray-colored rabbit said to Bigwig.

"Hey, you wouldn't have got this far without me I know that much." Bigwig exclaimed.

The gray-colored rabbit just dropped his ears, as he shook his head and started to mope. "We should never left Sandleford Warren in the first place."

Fiver shivered again and stood tall as if he was possessed and looked up towards the skies. " _Darkness comes in the light of day. No future for those who stay. A stranger walks amongst us._ "

"Oh by _Frith_ , he's off again." the tall, tan color rabbit complained.

"Oh my nose tickles. It's a sign from _Frith_." the gray-colored rabbit started to tease. As the tall tan colored rabbit started to giggle. "The end of the world is coming. Run away!"

"What do you mean, 'a stranger walks amongst us' little brother?" Hazel asked Fiver.

"I don't know. I think someone not from this world." Fiver thought.

A bark sounded off in the distance. Bigwig caught the bark first.

"Quiet." he warned the group, as everyone started to fear for trouble. Bigwig started to sniff into the air and listened to the bark.

"Dog. Close." Bigwig intercepts the scent. "Sounds like he hasn't got our scent yet."

The dog continues to bark, as Hazel left his brother's side to take in lead once again, since their journey.

"Let's not wait, until he does." Hazel said.

The rest of the rabbits started to follow Hazel to move away from the dog's bark. However, the bark went to silence until it started to bark again, only for Bigwig to found out that they got their scent.

"He's onto us! Coming fast!" Bigwig warned Hazel.

"Go, keep running! We'll be right behind you!" Hazel instructed the rest of the rabbits to flee.

"They won't have a chance unless we draw off that dog." Hazel decided.

"So, we offer ourselves up for dog's breakfast." Bigwig said.

Hazel than looked at log that was nearby and thought of a plan. "Not necessarily." They hurried over to hide in the log, as the dog catches up to their scent and arrived with a bark. Hazel started to leave the log.

"What're you doing?" Bigwig questioned.

"Trust me." he said.

The dog started to bark, as he was being called out by Hazel. He than disappeared into the log, as the dog tries to find his scent. Bigwig knew what Hazel was trying to do, so he followed by example. They repeated the trick for a few times, until the dog manages to get inside the log. Hazel and Bigwig jumped out of the log, as the dog get itself inside. When the dog was fully in, the rabbits started to push the log and it rolled over to a cliff and hit a tree, as the log broke in half. Luckily enough, the dog survived.

"Nice trick!" Bigwig commended Hazel.

"It won't last long until we regroup with the others." Hazel suggested to regroup.

"Right!" Bigwig agreed and the two hurried off.

"Does Fiver know what he meant about 'a stranger amongst us', Hazel?" Bigwig asked.

"I don't know. I wanted to know, who'll be among us as well." Hazel was concerned about Fiver's vision.

* * *

Near the woods, where I didn't know at the time, were being pursued by a dog, I was on a trail walk with a buddy mine back from work while listening to some Alan Jackson.

"It's nice to travel here and get away from the city life, what do you think?" Walter asked me.

"Most definitely, worth taking time off." I said.

"You just want get away from work." Walter knew why I wanted to take time off.

"Of course. It's just that I can't stand drama in the workplace. Besides, it's not really busy as it was in Christmas time." I said.

"I know what you mean, Andrew." Walter understood. "However, I still don't understand why you wanted to leave the tourist group."

"It's best to explore it, rather than being dragged by someone telling you everything about a place. You have to experience in first hand by yourself." I said.

"I just hope we could find our way out here." Walter worried.

"How about this, you go down one path and I could go in another." I suggested.

Walter knew he didn't like the idea of us being separated, until he agreed.

"I'll call you if I found them or you call me." he added.

"Deal." I agreed.

We than split up, as he went towards further trail and I took a trail that is near to the woods. As I continued to follow the trail, I started to look to see the wonders of the woods that gave me more curiosity to explore.

"Maybe I could find someway to regroup by cutting through the woods." I said to myself.

I went off the path and entered the woods. The further I went in, less the of any sign of a human being out here. I continued to go deep into the woods, before I could go any further a branch fall and it hit my head hard that I fell onto the grass and blacked out.

* * *

It wasn't until minutes later, I found out that I was shrunken to a size of an animal. I looked to see the trees are more taller than I was before going down in that size. I reached out my phone and tried to see if I could call Walter. However, due to being in the woody area, the reception on my phone was low and I couldn't be able to call anyone.

"Well. I better start walking around to figure out how to get myself out of this miss." I said to myself.

I began walking through the woods, until I see a pond. It started to feel like I was in a new world from being big to being small. I started to feel a little tired of walking, that I put my stuff down and sat down by the pond waters. I even took off my shoes and put my feet on the water. Surprisingly, I still have my stuff with me, including my DVD player, laptop, belongings, even my guitar. I took out my guitar and started to strum the cords.

 _Serve God, love me and mend_  
 _This is not the end_  
 _Live unbruised, we are friends_  
 _And I'm sorry_  
 _I'm sorry_

 _Sigh no more, no more_  
 _One foot in sea, one on shore_  
 _My heart was never pure_  
 _You know me_  
 _You know me_

 _But man is a giddy thing_  
 _Oh man is a giddy thing_  
 _Oh man is a giddy thing_  
 _Oh man is a giddy thing_

Before I could continue singing, I see a band of rabbits were passing through. I decided to set my guitar back and watch their move. Apparently, it seems like they were in a middle of bad situation, as I overheard from across.

"We'll swim, now! Everybody in!" the lion maned rabbit shouted. Some of the rabbits jumped into the water and start swimming across. At first I don't seemed to understand why they're trying to get into the water, other than from my imagination that I'm hearing talking rabbits. A dog started barking! I knew what that means, if the dog saw me, as a size of a rabbit, it would probably be the end of me. However, the rabbits managed to get into the water, as two younger rabbits were holding onto a branch that could help them from drowning.

I watched as the scene progressed, until the branch turned and it was heading towards the barking dog. I decided to jump into the water and started swimming towards them. When I got to them, the dog turned and headed towards me. The dog tried to swim charge at me, but I knock a punch on the dog and fell back. I swam over to the two rabbits on branch. I started to push them towards the other side where the rabbits were waiting, but I couldn't be able to have enough strength to push them further. Than the lion maned rabbit came from under the water and helped me pushed them to dry land. When we got there the two rabbits hopped back on dry, as the lion maned rabbit hopped on land last.

"Nice one Bigwig!" the tall tan rabbit spoke. "Good swimmer." It was the first time that I heard a rabbit spoke, as I was up close.

Bigwig than shook himself off to get dry, as the small brown hazel rabbit came to him.

"Thank you, Bigwig that was very brave." he said.

"Nothing at all." Bigwig said.

"Cleaver trick Blackberry, worthy of _El-ahrairah_." the tall brown hazel rabbit spoke.

"Yes, I think so. It worked rather well didn't it." a female light blue rabbit spoke.

* * *

As after they all regrouped, I was taking some breaths from swimming and pushing a branch towards the dry land. The rabbits looked back noticed that I was breathing hard from the swimming.

"Who do you suppose he is?" Hazel asked.

"I knew he was helping me to get Fiver and Pipkin towards the other side and he managed to fend himself from the dog." Bigwig added.

"In a real sense also, he saved our lives as well." Fiver added.

Hazel and along with the band of rabbits hopped over towards me.

"Excuse me, are you alright?" I looked up to see the brown hazel rabbit trying to communicate to me.

"Yeah I'm alright, even though I got myself a work to push a branch that holds rabbits." I said.

"Don't try to conceit yourself, my old son." the lion maned rabbit spoke.

"I'm sorry. I saw what was happening and I jumped into the water. Those two other rabbits would have been caught by the dog and possibly drown, but I have to punch the dog, before it fall back and of course you show up and we started pushing the branch onto land." I explained more correctly.

"Still, we'll like to say, thank you for saving Fiver and Pipkin." the brown hazel rabbit thanked.

"Who are they?" I asked.

The small brown hazel rabbit and a small brown rabbit came forward.

"The one next to me is Fiver, my little brother and the rabbit next to him is Pipkin." the brown hazel introduced.

"Hello." they both said very shy, despite of being saved by a human.

"Before we could try to talk, further why don't we all of us need to keep moving." the brown hazel rabbit spoke.

I spotted two rabbits painting from exhaustion.

"We're half dead Hazel. Give us a minute, will ya?" the dark toned gray rabbit painting for breath.

"We'll have time to rest, when we get where we're going." Hazel promised.

"You heard Hazel. Hop to it, you layabouts." the lion maned rabbit instructed the band to continue on.

As the rabbits started to move on, Hazel and a few rabbits looked back towards me.

"Are you coming along?" Hazel asked me.

"To where?" I asked.

"To the 'high lonely hills'." Fiver answered.

I was trying to figure out what the 'high lonely hills' was until it hit me. "Do you mean Watership Down?"

"Watership Down?" Hazel questioned.

"It's a down that has 'high lonely hills'. I was trying to get over there myself with Walter-"

"Whose Walter?" he questioned.

"Walter is a friend of mine that I came along, unfortunately, we got lost and I found myself here." I explained.

"Why don't you come along with us, until you could find your way back." Hazel invited me.

"Hazel, be serious! He's human, he's man." Bigwig disagreed.

"Just until we get where we're going and until he could find his way back." Hazel said.

Bigwig sighed and shook his head. "I suggest you better come along than."

I straighten myself up with my travel backpack and followed the rabbits to the 'high lonely hills'.

 _To be continued..._


	2. Episode 1: The Promise Land Part 2

The Promise Land Part 2

After walking and hopping for hours, we found ourselves in a field of plants, not sure what they are, but we were well hidden. Hazel looked around to make sure we are not followed and/or caught by any predators.

"This place looks like a safe place to rest." he said.

I was relieved, because I was started to get tired of walking, even having my travel backpack with me. I sat down on the ground to get myself a rest from my feet. The rest of the rabbits sat and/or looked around the hidden surroundings of greens covering them.

"It's so peaceful here." Fiver said.

"Enjoy it while it lasts." Hawkbit stated, before looking up towards the sky. "The next disaster can't be far off."

I guarantee of their disaster would being chased by strayed dogs, predator animals, and/or possibly humans. Now that I feel like that I'm the rabbit's size, I would be part of their next disaster. I pulled out my phone to see if I can get through to Walter. However, due to the connection, I couldn't be able to get a call. I sighed desperately, because I was hoping I could get back to my human size and find Walter, to go back to our hotel. I than saw Pipkin hopping towards a leaf and started sniffing it and going to the next one. I stood up and walked towards him.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Oh. I was just exploring. I'm sure seeing the world is big experience." Pipkin was curious. I could understand to Pipkin's young curiosity mind, as he started to explore new things that are different from his part of the world. At the same time, I may even have my curiosity to know the world they belong to.

"You should rest Pipkin, we have a long way to go." Hazel told Pipkin.

"I will. I just wanted to look around a little." Pipkin said to Hazel, as the young rabbit spotted a ladybug.

"Don't go too far." Hazel warned him.

"I won't." Pipkin promised. He than spotted a toad and he started to chase after it.

"Boundless of energy of youth." Bigwig said, as he and Blackberry watched Pipkin.

* * *

I sat down again to rest a little more. I than noticed Hazel hopped towards me.

"Hopefully, you're doing alright, are you?" Hazel asked me.

"I'm not sure. I know I'm a long way from being tall that's for sure." I moped.

"So, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"To start off like said back at the pond, I was with a co-worker of mine. You see, we're traveling together, as we're spending time off from work. We felt that we got lost, as we're walking on trails and trying to find our way back to a village or a small town to get help." I explained.

"So you're human?" he realized.

I looked at myself and looked back at him. "You don't see a another rabbit trying to speak to you, right?"

"I suppose not." he said.

"As I thinking to find a shortcut, I than was bonked hard from a tree branch that snapped and fell on mine head and I blacked out. To only find myself becoming your size." I continued on.

Hazel than looked started to look at my bag. "And what's that you're carrying?"

I took off my backpack and set it to the ground. "That is my travel backpack."

"A travel backpack?" he was curious.

"It's a bag that us humans put things in there and we could carry it around." I answered. "Do you think anyway when we get where we're going I could try to find some reception on my cell phone?"

"Reception? Cell phone?" Hazel questioned.

"Oh, I guess you're not too familiar with technology and all human innovations and such." I said.

"Us rabbits, are not to known or familiar with your human languages." he spoke.

"Other than I understood you may not know about humans, but you guys talk." I stated.

"We can talk. We also have a language of our own called Lapine." Hazel said with a little stern tone.

"Rabbits don't talk where I come from." I added.

"Really?" Hazel questioned.

"Nope." I assured.

"If you think we don't talk than how could you think we're learn to speak?" I heard the rabbit with a dark gray fur questioned.

"I don't I'm making a great impression to you guys and I'm being off." I started to feel slightly bad.

"That's alright, lad." Hazel assured me.

"And for making myself a bad impression, we haven't fully introduced ourselves." I added.

"We haven't. My name is Hazel." Hazel introduced himself.

"Well hello Hazel, and I'm Andrew." I introduced myself and let out my hand.

Hazel stepped back a little from my hand reaching out and the rabbit with a lion maned fur hopped towards us.

"Is he giving you a problem, Hazel?" the rabbit spoke and looked at me, as he was about to make a tackle out of me.

"No, no, no, no. It's nothing to be afraid." I assured Hazel. "Or a problem." I looked back at the rabbit with a lion maned fur.

"I just wanted your hand... or I mean paw in that matter."

Hazel looked at my hand and sniffed, before looking back at me. "Nothing's happening, right?"

"No I just wanted your paw." I assured.

Hazel looked back the lion maned rabbit, as they both shrugged their shoulders, until Hazel looked back at my hand and started to reach his paw out. I placed my hand with his paw and shook.

"It's how we say 'hello'." I said.

He looked at me and felt comfortable, as we started to have some trust.

"Alright, I think that's enough for now." the lion maned rabbit exclaimed.

"I'm sorry. We're just getting acquainted, who are you?" I asked.

"The name's Bigwig, I was once part of the _Owsla_ from Sandleford Warren." the lion maned rabbit introduced himself.

" _Owsla_? Sandleford Warren?" I questioned.

Bigwig than gave me the look like I have no idea he was talking. I started to get a little nervous from his look.

"It's alright, Andrew. _Owsla_ is lapine for 'strongest rabbits' that protect the warren." Hazel explained.

"Like a police law enforcement. I get it!" I understand.

They both looked at each other with clueless expressions. However, I finally understood what they meant, but they may have less understanding from what I have said about human languages.

"I understand that I already introduced to you Pipkin and Fiver, correct?" Hazel wanted to make sure I met them.

"I did." I said, as Hazel's little brother, Fiver came over.

"Hello. I'm Andrew." I introduced myself and tried to reach my hand out, but he gasped and went close to Hazel.

"Oh, I'm sorry." I apologized.

"It's alright." Fiver said with a smile.

"The ones you haven't met are: Blackberry, Hawkbit, and Dandelion." Hazel introduced me to the rest of the rabbits respectively. I greeted them with my name and decided to keep the handshake out for the time being.

* * *

"Oh now, where's Pipkin?" Bigwig said to himself. "Hawkbit, go look for him."

Hawkbit went and I decided to come along to look for Pipkin.

"You're human, right?" Hawkbit asked.

"That's right." I answered.

"Just stay out of my way as possible. I'm rather not too happy about leaving Sandleford Warren." he warned.

"So, Sandleford Warren is your warren, where rabbits lived?" I asked.

"Yes. However, Fiver had a vision of it being destroyed. Hazel gathered some rabbits, as myself was among them to join along." he said.

"Fiver has visions?" I questioned. "What do you mean?"

Hawkbit think that I could be go more with, so he decided to play it out safe to not have me get involve with it. "Fiver seeing things or I'm not even sure he does have visions."

"Then why did you go along?" I asked. He just than played silence.

"Why did you join Hazel and the others?"

"Why did you?" Hawkbit asked me.

I was quiet only to know what I could answer his question. "Well for one thing, I need to get back to size is one and another if something happens and... I might have to stay along until I know where I'm going."

Hawkbit nodded. "Alright than."

I smiled.

"It doesn't mean we're close friends." he noted.

"Just until we get more acquainted possibly." I said.

"Pipkin! Where are you?" Hawkbit shouted out for Pipkin. No response.

"I'm sure he couldn't wander off to far." I said.

"Why don't you try?" Hawkbit asked me.

"Okay. Pipkin! Where are you?" I called out. We than heard a rustle from the bushes to find out it was Pipkin.

"Sorry, Hawkibt for having you two waiting." he apologized.

"We're about to move out, let's go." Hawkbit told him before going back to the band.

As I watched him leave, he seemed very negative from his tone.

"Don't worry about him, he has moments." Pipkin said.

"I'm sure. Hopefully, where we're going he may feel better." I said.

"I don't know your name sir, but who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Andrew. And I understand you're Pipkin, right?"

"That's right." Pipkin said with a smile. "It's that I never met a human up close."

"A first time for everything. Even my first time meeting talking rabbits and being shrunk into the exact same height a rabbit should." I said.

Pipkin giggled. "You're funny and I like you."

I smiled back. "Consider we're friends?"

"Oh yes." he smiled back. We than heard Bigwig's voice calling out for us and we headed back to the band and moved out.

* * *

Hours later, as dark clouds came in, we're still trying to search for the 'high lonely hills'. Even though we have no sign of them yet, I pulled out my guitar and started to play a song on my phone to try to cheer the band of rabbits finding a new home.

 _Almost heaven, West Virginia_  
 _Blue ridge mountains, Shenandoah river_  
 _Life is old there, older than the trees_  
 _Younger than the mountains, blowing like a breeze_

 _Country roads, take me home_  
 _To the place I belong_  
 _West Virginia_  
 _Mountain mamma, take me home_  
 _Country roads_

 _All my memories, gather round her_  
 _Modest lady, stranger to blue water_  
 _Dark and dusty, painted on the sky_  
 _Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye_

 _Country roads, take me home_  
 _To the place I belong_  
 _West Virginia_  
 _Mountain mamma, take me home_  
 _Country roads_

"Would you stop playing those sounds from whatever they're?!" Hawkbit asked me.

I jumped a little. "It's just a song called _Take Me Home, Country Roads_ , by John Denver."

"And who is that?" Hawkbit questioned.

"He's a country singer. I know it's been a long road, but I decided to play it to cheer you guys up." I explained.

"Well than, why don't you keep the music to yourself, until we get to the hills." Dandelion said.

As Hawkbit tried to hop forward to catch up, he caught himself on a plant that it sticks to him. I ran over and pulled out my switchblade.

"Be careful with that thing!" Hawkbit shouted.

"It's alright, I'm going to cut them and you won't have to be stuck." I assured him.

I started to cut the plant, until the stem broke and Hawkbit was freed and he took off the stick tights.

"I could have handled that myself, thank you." he said before he hopped a little bit and he looked like he had enough of the long trip.

"That's it! I've enough." Hawkbit complained.

"Me too!" Dandelion also complained. "I'm hungry, I'm tired, and I'm sore."

"I know. But the only way to get where we're going, we need to go further, and until we arrive, you could relax for a little." I said to Dandelion.

"Andrew's right. However, we can't stop here, it's too open." Hazel added.

Hawkbit sighed. "We can't do this, we can't do that. We've been following this vision of Fiver's forever."

I still wasn't clear about Fiver's vision or explained further.

"And it's not getting any clearer is it? Do you see any 'high hills'? I don't." Dandelion added.

"Also if you look around, it's the end of the world." Hawkbit added as well.

I looked around to see the grass, fewer plants, and leafless trees.

"It's not exactly the end of the world, though." I added.

Hawkbit looked at me with a stern. "Either way, we're going back." He turned around and started to head back, until being stopped by Bigwig.

"Nobody's going back! Get moving!" Bigwig exclaimed at Hawkbit.

"You're afraid to go back because you deserted the _Owsla_." Hawkbit said.

I looked at Bigwig. "Is that true?"

He looked at me, before looking back at Hawkbit.

"You're afraid Captain Holly will arrest you." Hawkbit went on.

"Whose Captain Holly?" I asked.

Bigwig and Hawkbit looked at me. "What does it matter to you, who Captain Holly is?!" Hawkbit questioned me.

"I don't know. You're one whose ranting about and telling the story." I stated.

"Hawkbit, Sandleford is gone. I feel it in my bones and there's nothing to go back to." Fiver told him.

"Well... that's what you said. What if you're promised land doesn't exist? What if we left for nothing huh?"

"I'm sure there's a promise land or a home out there for all of us." I added.

"I said move! I won't say it again!" Bigwig warned Hawkbit.

Hawkbit knew he wouldn't be told again by Bigwig. He than continued to move on, as Dandelion and Fiver joined along. I waited with Hazel, as Bigwig came back.

"What if Fiver is wrong?" Bigwig feared. "We can't keep them going on dreams' Hazel."

Hazel looked back at the rest of the band of rabbits. "Dreams are all we have left, Bigwig."

"Excuse me, I hope I don't mean to interrupt, but what's that got to do with Fiver's vision?" I asked them.

"Fiver has visions that he sees the future." Hazel answered.

"Is he a psychic, a mage, or a wizard?"

"What?" Bigwig questioned.

"Nevermind." I said.

"No, he's not either one of them. He sometimes have visions or dreams that something would happen, such as Sandleford." Hazel explained.

"What happened there?"

Hazel looked back at his little brother. "He visioned that Sandleford was destroyed."

"By what?"

"He didn't say. However in the most parts, he has visions that he sees the future." he went on.

"It seems interesting to have that certain ability that no ever could do." I complemented.

"To Fiver, he thinks it's nightmare or a terrible cause after his birth." Hazel sadly thinks.

A storm started to come in. We hurried back to rest of the rabbits and journeyed on.

* * *

The thunder continues to rumble as not a rain fell upon us, but it did sprinkle a bit, before it stopped. We went over a small puddle of water that came from the rain. I looked back to see Fiver got stuck and he fell over to the puddle. I hurried back, at the same time Hazel reached to his brother, and we picked Fiver up from the puddle.

"Come on, Fiver. The 'high hills' can't be far now." Hazel comforted his little brother.

"What if Hawkbit is right, Hazel? What if there's no safe place for us?" Fiver felt saddened.

"But you saw it Fiver, the 'high hills'!" Hazel assured.

"In a dream! In my head! Maybe they were right back at Sandleford!" Fiver exclaimed.

"Right about what?" I asked.

"I'm mad." Fiver drop a small tear, as Hazel nuzzled him for comfort.

"Fiver, do you believe in dreams?" I asked.

"Sometimes, I don't everything is good, why?" he asked.

"I don't think there should be a problem about believing in dreams. Even if it's vision that occurred to you." I tried to comfort him.

"You told him about my visions and dreams didn't you?" Fiver looked at Hazel and asked.

"I did." Hazel admitted.

"I'm sorry Fiver. I just wanted to know. Most importantly there's nothing wrong with it. I think it's pretty cool." I said.

"Not wholeheartedly. I would have nightmares about them." Fiver added.

"I know. We have dreams good and bad. I even have dreams in my own for my future." I added.

"What's your future?" he asked.

"Trying to become a teacher. I'm trying to get back onto education so I could learn how to become one." I told him. "I think believing in dreams is best way to make them come true, if you believe it."

 _A dream is a wish your heart makes_  
 _When you're fast asleep_  
 _In dreams you will lose your heartaches_  
 _Whatever you wish for, you keep_

 _Have faith in your dreams and someday_  
 _Your rainbow will come smiling through_  
 _No matter how your heart is grieving_  
 _If you keep on believing_  
 _The dream that you wish will come true_

"As you see, it's important to hold onto those good dreams, or sometimes bad, for a good future." I explained Fiver.

Hazel seemed to understand what I tried to teach Fiver for comfort. "Andrew's right, if we stop believing, we're lost."

"I guess you're right." Fiver admitted, as Hazel and I smiled.

"Hazel, come here!" Bigwig called out.

The three of us hurried over to Bigwig and the others.

"What is it, what's wrong?" Hazel asked Bigwig.

"Just for a moment, I thought I saw..." Bigwig began to said.

"Saw what?" I asked. He just looked at the fog at the distance. I looked back towards the fog, as it started to disperse. We than saw a grandiose view of the high hills.

"The high hills!" Hazel was amazed.

"They're real!" Hawkbit in shock.

"Beautiful." Blackberry praised on the view.

"So that's Watership Down. That can't be possible." I said to myself.

"You were right lad!" Bigwig cheered at Fiver. "You were right all along!"

"It looked far away." Pipkin said.

"But it's there." Dandelion said to Pipkin.

Hazel and the rest of the rabbits started to sniff into the air.

"I smell cabbages!" Hazel smelled.

"And carrots." Bigwig also smelled. "And lettuce!"

Everyone started smell into the air.

" _Flayrah_!" Blackberry exclaimed.

"What's _flayrah_?" I asked.

"Vegetables that man grown." Fiver answered.

I tried to smell for the vegetables, however I couldn't get the smell further away, so I smelled again, only smell the fresh air. "I could only smell, the sweet smell of fresh air in the morning."

Everyone looked at me with questionable expressions. "I couldn't smell the vegetables, so I smelled fresh air in the distance."

Everyone chuckled, as I chuckled too.

"We need to follow the scent for _flayrah_ where it's at!" Bigwig hurried off, as the rest joined him. Fiver stopped as Hazel and I came up to him.

"Hazel and Andrew, you're right! Dreams do come true!" Fiver was cheerful.

"Like I said, _dreams that you wish would come true_. And it did." I stated.

Fiver was happy and he hurried off to join the others. Hazel looked at me, before we went on.

"Thank you, very much for cheering him up. It means a lot to him." he thanked me.

"Anytime." I said. We than hurried off to join the others to find some vegetables.

 _To be continued..._

Author's Note: Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year of 2018!


	3. Episode 1: The Promise Land Part 3

The Promise Land Part 3

We followed the _flayrah_ smell to find the scent is at a family sized farm. The farm was very familiar to a farm that me and Walter were passing along on a tour bus ride, before going our hike.

"Why is this place looks so familiar?" I asked myself.

"You been here before?" Hazel asked.

"That's one of the places me and Walter passed through, on a tour bus." I answered.

"A tour bus?" Fiver questioned with a confused look.

"It's a vehicle that provides transportation for tourists." I explained.

"We called 'man moving' things _hrududu_." Fiver said.

" _Hrududu_?" I didn't understand.

"It's Lapine for what you called buses." Hazel explained.

I shook my head, as I understood a bit about his 'Lapine' language.

"I could run the rest of the way to the 'high hills' on a belly full of carrots." Bigwig was hungry.

Hazel hopped towards Bigwig.

"What are we waiting?!" Bigwig was overly thrilled.

"No. There may be dogs, cats down there, not to mention man." Hazel warned.

I looked at him with a stern look. "I'm sorry?!"

Hazel looked back at me and remembered that I'm man. "Oh, not you Andrew. I mean other 'man' who put harm to us."

"Oh." I was relieved.

"Come on! In the _Owsla_ , we have a saying: 'Who Dares Wins'." Bigwig quoted, what I thought it might be from The British's Special Air Services.

"I have heard of that quote before!" I exclaimed.

"See! Andrew knows what I mean!" Bigwig exclaimed.

"I mean, I heard the quote before from Special Air Services." I explained.

The rabbits looked at each other for a second and looked back at me.

"Who?!" Bigwig became more confused than before.

"Special Air Services. One of the British's special forces and their motto is 'Who Dares Wins'!" I explained.

"It's a same motto for the _Owsla_." Bigwig added.

"That's convenient." I complimented.

* * *

Hazel looked back at the rest of the band of rabbits, looked exhausted from their long journey.

"Everyone's exhausted, Bigwig. We need our wits about us for a raid." Hazel explained to Bigwig.

"And we need food, if we're gonna make it to the 'high hills'." Bigwig went on.

"Bigwig's right." Hawkbit said.

"If there's lettuce down there, I want some and I want some now." Dandelion exclaimed.

Hazel than realized now that not every has ate and I started to get a stomach growl as well.

"I kind of hungry too, but I don't mind waiting a little bit." I said.

"At least wait until it's dark." Hazel decided.

Bigwig looked back at the farm to hear 'man' going on about and was doing last bit of work, before the evening comes.

"Alright, we'll wait." he decided to give in and sat down on the grass.

"What about a story, Dandelion? It'll past the time." Hazel suggested to Dandelion.

"Oh yes please Dandelion!" Pipkin agreed.

"A story? What kind of story is it?" I asked, as I sat down on the grass.

"Well, lad you're in a treat." Dandelion said to me. "The story will be _Frith's Blessing_ , for a appropriate considering the running we've been doing."

" _Frith's Blessing_?" I questioned him.

"It's about how _El-ahrairah_ was given a blessing from _Frith_." Blackberry answered for Dandelion.

"Whose _El-ahrairah_ and _Frith_?" I asked.

" _Frith_ is who created us rabbits and all living creatures and things. _El-ahrairah_ is the prince of all rabbits." Hazel explained.

"I suppose it'll be interesting." I said.

Dandelion cleared his throat, as he's about to tell this tale.

 _Long ago, when Frith made the world, all the animals were the same. They lived together, sharing the sweet grass of the hills. El-ahrairah was the father of all the rabbits. Soon, his children started covering the whole world and eating so much, that there was none for the other animals. Frith than went to speak with El-ahrairah._

 _"El-ahrairah! You must control your people. There are too many!"  
"That is because you made them the best in the world, Lord Frith. I can't control them!"  
"Then, I will do it, El-ahrairah!"_

 _Frith than summon the animals to his suncave to bring them a gift, making each one different from the other. To the fox and the weasel, he gave them claws and teeth; with the desire to hunt and kill El-ahrairah's people. When El-ahrairah heard about this, he knew, Frith was angry with him and his people. He feard what Frith might do next. He dug a hole, but he dug only a little of it, when Frith came over to the hill, alone._

 _"El-ahrairah! Come out and I'll give you your blessing."  
"I can't! The fox and the weasel are after me."_

 _As he spoke, El-ahrairah's tail glow shining white and flashed like a star. His back legs grew long and powerful and he ran across the hill, faster than any creature in the world._

 _"El-ahrairah, your people cannot rule the world for I will not have it so. All the world will be your enemy, Prince With a Thousand Enemies. And whenever they catch you, they will kill you! But first, they must catch you. Digger, listener, runner. Prince with a swift warning, be cunning and full of tricks, and your people shall never be destroyed!"_

"And here we are, so even if Sandleford Warren is gone we are still here." Dandelion wraps up the story.

"Well told Dandelion! We needed to hear that story." Hazel praised.

"I thought it was a interesting, well told story. It's part of your faith, is it?" I asked.

"It's been part of our lives and culture. Even at some times we need it to have faith." Hazel smiled.

"Do you have a story, you wanted to share?" Dandelion offered.

I remained silent and didn't say anything else.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

"Y...yeah." I stumbled. Hazel and Fiver continued to look at me, as they possibly know that I might be hiding something.

"Right! Let's be cunning and tricked man out of some lettuce." Bigwig exclaimed.

* * *

We than went off downhill to the farm, where we could find some food in crates. We started to eating some of the vegetables. I started chowing down on the vegetables, I didn't even care if I like cabbages or lettuce. The most wonderful taste I had was the carrots, it even tasted grander than the carrots I have back at home.

"Someone looked hungry." Hazel smiled.

"I was starving. I never tasted better carrots fresh grown." I said.

"This must be all the _flayrah_ in the world!" Pipkin enjoyed the taste of a carrot.

"So, who's going to miss a few carrot eh Pipkin." Bigwig said.

Pipkin continued to eat his carrot, until I started to hear something.

"Do you guys hear something?" I asked.

"You're probably hearing things, lad." Bigwig said.

"I couldn't swore I heard something hiss from nearby." I was curious.

Bigwig than heard the same hiss that I heard and he began to realize we're not alone.

"You heard it too did you?" I questioned.

"Yes. And there's a cat about." he said.

Hazel knew that our time getting some food was up. "Let's not overstay our welcome."

We than hurried off away from the farm. However, as I was catching up, I noticed Pipkin was by the barn's entrance. I hurried over to him.

"Pipkin! What're you doing?" I asked.

"I could have swear that I heard Kehaar's voice." Pipkin worried.

"Kehaar?"

"He's a gull that I met back by the bushes by the fields." he recalled.

"Do you actually mean a seagull." I corrected.

We than saw a mouse ran out of the barn and bumped into Pipkin.

"Rabbit! Run for your life! Cat got Kehaar!" the mouse shrieked.

"It is Kehaar!" Pipkin realized.

"Pipkin we need to leave before the cat could get us too." I persuaded.

The mouse looked at me and screamed. "A human!" She hurried off and hid behind Pipkin.

"It's okay. He's a friend." Pipkin assured.

"How?" she asked.

"I came with him, that's for sure." I added.

"Come on cat, I show you how to fight!" Kehaar's voice exclaimed.

"Get away from that Pipkin and Andrew!" Hazel shouted.

"It's Kehaar. He's lost, just like us. We've got to help him" Pipkin was desperate to help a friend he possibly met.

"Against a cat?!" Hawkbit doubted.

"If we sneak behind the cat, we could distract it with something, come on!" I persuaded the rabbits as I went inside.

"Andrew, wait!" Hazel shouted, as he went in with Bigwig and Hawkbit followed.

We than hid behind a grain bag and watched as a seagull was fending for himself against a cat. I looked up to see the flower pots towered up.

"Let's knock those guys over onto the cat and make a run for it." I planned.

They nodded their heads, as they agree. I went over to the pots and started shaking them, until it started to tumble onto the cat.

"Go now, you seagull! Now it's your chance!" I shouted.

The seagull looked at me and spooked at the minute it saw me.

"Come on Kehaar!" the mouse called for the seagull.

The seagull grabbed it's last fish and hurried out the barn, as me, Hazel, Bigwig, and Hawkbit followed until we got outside. When all of us escaped the farm, we had to catch our breaths. I was still trying to catch my breath from the long run.

"That was brave of you trying to trick a cat, Andrew. Very impressive!" Hazel praised.

"Too right! And it was a close call!" Bigwig also praised.

I couldn't be able to say anything, as I was still catching my breath, beginning to have Hazel and Bigwig concerned.

"Are you alright, though lad?" Bigwig asked.

"Just take small breaths." Hazel instructed me.

"I'm alright... a lot of walking and running... makes me tired... and my muscles grow sore." I panted, as I looked back at the seagull.

"Are you badly hurt Kehaar?" Pipkin asked.

"Not too bad." the seagull spoke. The seagull tried to flap his wing, but result a painful sting. "Maybe not flies too good... for a while."

"You're not going to last long out in the autumn with a bad wing Kehaar." the mouse spoke to him.

I dusted myself off from my panting and went over to the seagull, as I started to search my bag.

"What are you doing?!" the seagull nervously asked.

"Even if you're wing is bad, at least let me try to cover the wound or clean it, until you could fly again." I said, as I brought out antibiotic and poured a small amount on a small cloth and started to dab gently on the seagull's injured wing.

"That stings!" the seagull jumped.

"I know, but the less you jump, flinch, or move, it won't sting or hurt." I calmed him and he became calm, as I continued to dab on it's wing.

"Thank you for saving Kehaar's life." he thanked.

"So that's your name, Kehaar." I said.

"Yea, Kehaar from 'big water'." he said.

"You mean from a beach or a ocean." I said.

"Tsk, yea, Kehaar lost and met new friends Pipkin and Hannah." Kehaar said.

"And I'm Hannah by the way." the mouse introduced herself.

"Hello to you both and I'm Andrew." I greeted. "Good thing Pipkin was there to help you guys." I gave Pipkin credit.

They looked at Pipkin and thanked him.

"Why don't you two come with us, we're going to the 'high hills' over there." Pipkin offered them to join our journey, as he pointed at the hills. "Fiver says it's safe there."

"It may not be that bad, since I tagged along, it won't hurt to have the next two others to join us." I agreed.

"Now, hang on a minute." Bigwig thought we're carrying away about bring others with us on our end's journey.

"He's a friend Hazel, let him stay please." Pipkin pleaded.

"I came along and you said it's fine. I don't see why not they can't. More the merrier." I agreed.

"We're newcomers here. We need to help each other." Hazel stated, before he made his decision.

"I think Kehaar should come along with us."

As Pipkin and I agreed, the rest of the rabbits nodded their heads in agreement, all with an exception to Bigwig.

"Alright, let's get going." he than gave in.

* * *

We than continued on with our journey in the night. We followed a trail path and cut through the woods until we reached the down hill of the downs, as we looked up towards the lone tree at the top.

"It'll be good to have a little rest, no?" Kehaar suggested.

"I believe we're just about there, and we could rest until we get up there." I persuaded to Kehaar.

"How far is it up to the top Kehaar?" Hazel asked.

"Not far if you fly, long way if you walk." Kehaar answered.

"I don't think it's too long for a walk if we just climb up the hill." I suggested.

Hazel decided that we should climb up the hill, even though the climb got me tired, but I continued to keep going and catching up with them. By the time we reached the top, we stared spangling at the lone tree with a enough space for the rabbits to be... I mean for all of us that is.

"This is where we'll start again." Hazel said.

"Yes, it's very good at flies." Kehaar agrees.

"It's called Watership Down." Hannah said.

"I never thought I was going to be there." I was quietly thrilled at the beauty.

"Watership Down... home." Fiver said.

We than began to settle in for a rest after our long journey to the 'high hills'. And hopefully I'll find some possible way to get home, as well. However, it may have to be a start of a new journey to get back home.

 _End of Episode 1... Episode 2 Coming Soon! Stay Tuned!_


	4. Episode 2: Home on the Down Part 1

Home on the Down Part 1

Pretty much a day or two after we settled in, we slept on the sweet grass. As I was also on my headphones, listening to some Florida Georgia Line on my phone with my headphones. The clouds were nearly clear, but it was a decent day for a breeze. My phone started to ring, only to see a incoming call is from Walter.

"Walter?"

"Andrew, where are you? I found the tourist group and I still haven't seen, since we split up." he was worried.

"I know, but it's a long story, I was trying to look for the tourist group, than I was knocked out by a falling branch and I became a size of a rabbit." I explained.

"Andrew, are you there?" Walter was breaking up.

"Walter? I'm here and you're breaking up." I said.

The call ended because of the connection and service was low. I put my phone away and walked towards the edge of the down.

"Any luck?" Fiver woke up from his nap.

"I was close, but my call was cut short, because of the connection was low." I said.

"Call? Connection?" he questioned.

I pulled out my phone. "This is my phone. I use it to make calls and do internet searches and such."

Fiver was more confused, as I was showing him the innovation that man uses to communicate to each other and for entertainment.

"It's alright. I understand if you don't know." I understand.

"Not a problem at all. We never seen 'man' made things before." Fiver just smiled. He than gasped and looked around.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

Hazel woke up. "What's is it, Fiver?"

"Hearing someone calling my name, reminds me of a dream that had of Captain Holly. He was trying to stop us from leaving Sandleford." Fiver said, before slightly shaking.

"That's all behind us now. We're here safe on Watership Down." Hazel comforted his little brother. "And it's a beautiful morning."

"You been saying that for two days straight, everyone morning." I said to Hazel, as he chuckled.

We than heard a owl screeched that everyone of the rabbits took cover. Except me, as I was looking around to see not a owl in sight.

"You not taking cover?!" Hazel exclaimed.

"By a 'day owl'? Come on, that's nothing on me." I boasted.

"Did you even forgotten that you became smaller?" Fiver recalled.

A screech came once again. "In another thought, you're right." I hurried over to them and hid. I opened my bag to see that I still have my ghillie suit. I put it on and ducked and covered among the grass, as Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig stared at me.

"What is that?!" Bigwig asked.

"It's a ghillie suit. I could hide myself amongst the grass and keep myself hidden." I lay flat on the ground, as Bigwig shook his head.

"I think you be driving us crazy with your 'man made' things." he said.

"How's my score card?" I asked.

"What?!" Bigwig questioned.

"Am I getting through anyone, that's what I meant." I made it clearer.

"Not me at the least." Bigwig sternly said. We remain quiet until the owl's screech is gone. We came out, as I got out of my suit.

* * *

We than heard another screech, but it was nearby. We than noticed, as we saw Kehaar was trying to make a rooster like calling that's its morning.

"Morning Kehaar." Hannah greeted.

"Yeah!" Kehaar exclaimed.

"Are you off your rocker, screaming like that?!" Bigwig exclaimed.

"Kehaar say 'Hello to morning'." Kehaar said. "Oh, you should hear the whole flock sing. Big music."

"So basically, you're trying to be a rooster in the morning?" I said.

"What's a rooster?" Kehaar asked.

"It's a farm animal or close to being a chicken cocks-a-doodle-doo in the morning by dawn." I answered.

"Oh it's that what you call it." Dandelion said.

"Music or a rooster?" I asked.

Dandelion thought for a second. "I would say both."

"I said these two should clear off our down and I meant it." Bigwig suggested.

"Be fair Bigwig, his wings hurt." Hazel was trying to be reasonably fair to Kehaar.

"That's not all that'll be hurt, if he doesn't watch his beak." Hawkbit warned and he looked at me. "And for your so called 'music' as well in the night." I was given the warning as well. I just made a poker face to keep it straight.

"What's the matter with the rabbits?" Hannah went over to Bigwig. "Everybody likes gulls and mice."

"Not me." Bigwig said it clear.

"For jealousy, annoyance, or ignorant?" I asked Bigwig.

He sternly looked at me with his look and remained silent.

"I guess you must have woke up at the wrong side of the bed this morning." I said. Bigwig just sighed and wondered off nearby.

* * *

After our little morning rant about Kehaar's rooster calling, we went back to the rabbits daily rountine: eat, sleep, and explore around the down. Me on the other hand, was trying to see if I could get more reception, but there was none. I than saw Blackberry was looking at the bottom of the tree, I decided to go over there to see what she was looking for.

"Hi Blackberry." I said.

She turned around and noticed me. "Andrew."

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"It looks like there's something behind the size of hole that is covered." she said.

"Like a possible warren that goes underground?"

"Maybe." she said, as she started to dig through and uncovered a small sized warren.

"Everyone, over here!" she called everyone else. They came over and saw Blackberry's discovery.

"I guess it is a warren after all." I said.

She sniffed by the entrance. "There were rabbits here once upon a time. Long gone now."

Hazel came and started to sniff the entrance of the deserted warren.

"Anything?" I asked.

"No smell of disease." he said, before smelling out again. "Or enemies and it smells safe."

"Seems like you guys got yourselves a home." I concluded.

Blackberry and Hannah went inside, as I followed. The roots were all covered in dirt and the warren was small of size like a one: small two bedroom house.

"It's not big enough I'm afraid." Blackberry said. "It's a good shape. If everyone helps out with a digging, we're soon have a home down here."

"It won't be a bad idea." I agreed.

"Blackberry, in case you forgotten. Bucks don't dig." Bigwig remained her.

In that moment, Blackberry sighed in despair.

"What do they mean, bucks don't dig?" I asked Blackberry.

"Doe rabbits dig." Blackberry answered.

"What?! That's ridiculous!" I shouted, as I ran out of the warren. Hearing Hazel argue that everyone should pitch in to help Blackberry to dig.

"Since when do you guys think that does are to dig them holes?" I challenged them.

"It's seems that way back in Sandleford, but we need to join in together to make it a warren." Hazel said.

"I agree with you Hazel. We all need to work together." I agreed.

"Yes, so." Dandelion sarcastically agreed.

"So we're all going to pitch in." Hazel said it again to Dandelion.

"Oh I don't think so." Bigwig disagrees.

"Okay look Bigwig... if you and your warren just left one doe to work, how that will be fair?" I asked.

Bigwig remained silent. "It has been for our tradition for years."

"Even for one doe doing the work, like 'Cinderalla'." I said.

"Cinderalla?" Bigwig questioned.

"Cinderalla was once a young woman, who lived with her father, as he remarried to a step mother, who has two daughters. After her father died, the stepmother and her stepsisters forced Cinderalla to do the chores around the house all by herself." I told him.

"You're really started to wear on me with your culture or your own stories." Bigwig angered, as he was about to pounce on me. I had a switchblade ready for a dirty fight. Hazel broke the two of us apart from the fight.

"That's enough, you two!" he separated us. "Look if we're going to survive up here, we need new ways of thinking."

"A democracy!" I made it clear.

"I've had my fill of new thinking. You've already got us living with gulls, mice, and 'man'." Bigwig said.

I thought Bigwig's comment about me, along with Kehaar's and Hannah's, was out of line. "Excuse me?!"

He turned at me. "What else do you want?"

"Whose the one saying, 'I'm trying to find my way home.' I only try to distance myself, so I could find my home, because I understand you guys can't help me, and that's reasonable with problems on your own. I even let you get guys find your new home, so I don't have to make myself the huge attention or more than that... a intruder, you are most definitely are!"

"A intruder?" Bigwig questioned me.

"Yes! An intruder! I had a happy life until you walked in." I exclaimed.

"You're the one whose stuck here and why don't you tell me?" he said.

"Who rescued two rabbits nearly drowned or worst than that getting mutilated by dog? I helped them, as you did too. The reason I helped you three is because goodness dumb ol' heart. You're ungrateful jackass, discriminate me or the others for all I care. You're going to feel so alone that you have nothing, but to blame yourself." I said.

"You know nothing. You're just here to listen to your stories or your wacky music that you played on our way up here." Bigwig insulted.

"Thank you." Hawkbit praised.

I had enough of it. "Don't try to insult the things I grew up with or mock me for what I listen. That's who I'm. If you're not going to help me and/or appreciate the music I listen to as if it was George Strait's love songs, than I'll say 'so long, and farewell.'" I ran off angrily.

"Very nice Bigwig. Very thoughtful." Fiver was disappointed at Bigwig. Bigwig than dashed off to be by himself. As everyone else dispersed.

"We've got to get everyone pulling together, even Andrew to be part of this, or we're finished." Hazel said.

"Maybe, they just need time to get used to a new place." Fiver added.

"You might try leading by example, Hazel. The digging won't do itself and Andrew can't find his way home by himself too." Blackberry also added before heading back in to dig.

* * *

Angry, I put on my headphones and started listening to some music to get rid some anger. As I was listening to Luke Byran's _Light it Up_ , I felt a nudge or a tab from somebody and I took my headphones and turned off the music, only to see Pipkin was behind me.

"Pipkin."

"Hello, you're not leaving are you?" he asked.

I sighed. "At the same time, even if I found my way home, I can't back to my size. So I decided to just stick as being 'Thumblina' until I found a way home short or not."

"Then you should stay with us. You can't be able to find your way home by yourself. Also, what if _elil_ caught you?" he added.

"What's _elil_?" I asked.

" _Elil_ is known to be enemies of rabbits such as: hawks, owls, badgers, weasels, foxes..."

"Even cats and dogs?" I guessed.

"That's right. If we're not there, how are you going to protect yourself?" Pipkin added.

I pulled out my switchblade, as he gasped. "Easy, but I only need it for in emergency." I said before I put it away.

"Just stay with us and it won't be so bad. I know Kehaar and possibly Hannah are staying despite of Bigwig's objection." he persuaded.

I was still unsure, I couldn't be able to be with anyone, who doesn't respect me as a individual or respect what I do, even my values. However, I decided to give them another chance. Pipkin then became hungry, so I decided to watch him as he looked for food for himself. I then heard Kehaar spit out some grass and I assumed it was not a good taste for a seagull.

"You're hungry too, aren't you Kehaar?" Pipkin asked.

"Gulls always hungry. But stupid wing, well maybe you'll find some food for Kehaar." he said. "Crumbs, fine sticks with grubs."

"By myself?" Pipkin questioned Kehaar.

"No... you can't be able to find food by yourself. I'll come along and you probably shouldn't be off alone too." I volunteered.

"Alright you two are strong." Kehaar complemented.

"Very well, gurbs well be the best choice." I decided, before Pipkin and myself searched for gurbs.

* * *

As Pipkin and I were searching for gurbs nearby, I heard Hannah talking to herself about the upset she has with Bigwig.

"I guess I wasn't the only one, who got the upset from Bigwig." I said.

"Why don't you go talk to her? I'll continue to search for Kehaar's gurbs." Pipkin insisted.

"Alright, but don't go wander off too far." I warned.

He nodded and continued his search, as I went over to Hannah.

"Who needs mice? I don't need mice! Everybody needs mice!" Hannah talked to herself.

"Uhh... Hannah?"

She gasped, as she heard me that had me gasped as well. "I'm sorry."

"Don't you have any other ideas to scare mice?!" she asked.

I chuckled. "No, but I heard here talking to yourself, obviously regarding to Bigwig."

"Do you have problems of mice, if I don't mind asking you." Hannah asked.

"To be fairly honest, no, but sometimes I get jumpy for small things, which that's nothing." I tried to be honest.

"You staying with the rabbits?" she asked.

I nodded. "I haven't been trying to stay, I'm been trying to find my way home. However, it seems to me by now, if they're going to simply take me in until I found way home, so be it."

"I don't understand it. I'm sure they're reasonable for you staying with them, except me." she sadly complained.

"It's not that. I'm sure they needed help to get used to being around is one thing, but trying to accepted by everyone, especially Bigwig is another." I said.

"Maybe it would be easy for you, because they think you're a complete stranger." she added.

"Easy? It's not easy for me, even in the world I grew up in. It's never easy. People would normally have themselves to get their attention to others and/or fend for themselves to get their respect. I always wish they would be another easy way for me, but there isn't." I said.

She sighed.

"Why don't you come back to Watership Down, I know Kehaar is simply staying around." I convinced.

"And you?" she asked.

I let out a sigh. "I may have to, until I find my way home." Before I decided to go any further, we heard a growl nearby that had Hannah hiding herself.

"What's that? That can't be a dog." I said.

She looked and we found out that we saw a big weasel was close looking for lunch, as he was sniffing into the air.

"Hmmm... long ears." he spoke, before he went for his hunt.

"Pipkin." I knew he found his scent.

"We need to do something before he could get to little Pipkin." Hannah startled.

I pulled out my switchblade, in case I had to fight myself with that giant looking creature. "Go get Bigwig and the others, and tell them that a weasel is going after Pipkin. I'll go find Pipkin, before the weasel could."

She didn't even had to be told twice and went in a mad dash right away to get help. I hurried to follow the weasel, until he stopped to find out he found his prey.

"Welcome back to hunting ground, long ears." the weasel spoke.

I managed to jump onto the weasel's back and trying to tackle it, but I could only hold off from his back like I was doing a cowboys rodeo.

"Andrew!" Pipkin exclaimed.

"Get out of here, now!" I shouted.

He started to hop away from the fight to be safe. The weasel shook me and the next thing I know was that I blacked out when my head hit on a small log.


	5. Episode 2: Home on the Down Part 2

Home on the Down Part 2

"What do you use for a brain?"

I heard Hawkbit's voice, as I was presuming he was speaking about me. I was starting to wake up from a nasty black out from my head.

"Sending Pipkin off on his own like that?! You nearly got him killed with your selfishness." Bigwig's voice came, by the time I opened my eyes to see he was scolding at Kehaar, for no reason at all.

"Kehaar stupid gull. Kehaar sorry." Kehaar apologized. I had to step in to say I boasted into this.

"It's not his fault." I said as I was waking up.

Everyone else, including Pipkin noticed that I woke up.

"Andrew, you're alright! Thank _Frith_!" Pipkin cheered.

"What was that?" Bigwig questioned me.

"I was clearing my anger from you, after I left. I than realized after I was cleared, Pipkin followed me. We talked and I watched him, as he was trying to find food for himself. We than saw Kehaar-" I tried to tell him, but the pain on my head interrupted my explanation.

"So it's Kehaar's and you're fault?!" Hawkbit guessed.

"Let me finish, if you don't mind, after blacking out from a bump on my head!" I raised my voice and Hawkbit went silent.

"Go on." Bigwig said to me.

"We saw Kehaar was hungry and asked us to look for food for him. Pipkin and I went searching, as I was watching Pipkin myself, like a big brother watching their young siblings." I said, as Pipkin smiled for referring to him as a younger sibling. "As I was watching him, that's when I saw Hannah and we talked and counsel. Suddenly came a weasel. I instructed Hannah to tell you guys that a weasel was near by."

"And I did." Hannah said.

I nodded for recognition. "The weasel got a scent of Pipkin and I had to go after the weasel, so it wouldn't take Pipkin away. I told Pipkin to run for safety and he did, I was battling with the weasel, until he knocked me off his back and I landed hard on a small log on my head... and I fainted." I finished.

"Either way, sooner you both leave the better." Bigwig said.

Pipkin gasped.

"So you're just blaming on the both of us than." I said referring to myself and Kehaar.

"Right." Bigwig confirmed, as he was more arrogant than before.

"There's no point making Kehaar feel worse than he does." Hazel came.

"Hazel, it wasn't Kehaar's fault. Pipkin was watc-" I tried to speak, but Hazel lift his paw with a calm expression. I than remain silent.

"I told you, rabbits weren't meant to mix with gulls, mice, and 'man'. Didn't I?" Bigwig confronted.

"And who warned us about Pipkin? Hannah, a mouse. Also for Andrew, a 'man'. His and her actions saved Pipkin's life. Without their help, he'd be gone." Hazel explained.

"Well..." Bigwig tried to come up with a reason for his own. Until, he noticed me with a stern look, as I was rubbing my head bump.

"It was that gull's fault and this lot's fault, Pipkin was out there." Bigwig continued with the blame game on Kehaar and me.

"And now we know there's a weasel on the down. That's what we should worry about." Hazel said, before the rest left.

Hazel stopped as he came towards me.

"Pipkin was safe the whole time, I was watching him." I persuaded in a whisper.

Hazel let out a sigh. "I know. Pipkin told me what happened. There's nothing to worry about, lad." he said, as he patted my shoulder. It was a moment that we fond friendship between us.

"Right. Now it's going to be said. Don't go off on your own anymore, even going after someone. Lecture over." Bigwig consoled, as he finished and he looked at me. He sighed and hopped away. I went over to Pipkin to see him shaking, as I wondered if he had a traumatic stress.

"Are you alright? First time experiencing something that?" I asked, but he shook his head "no".

"It's something I need to tell Bigwig, but I can't." Pipkin was afraid.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's only for Bigwig to know." he wouldn't tell me.

"Than you should tell him immeditly rather than hiding it." I persuaded him to tell Bigwig. However, Pipkin's shiver prevented saying anything further.

"Bigwig." I called out to him.

Luckily he stopped and turned around to see Pipkin shivering.

"Oh here now. No point letting a rotten, old weasel shake you up." Bigwig tried to comfort him.

Pipkin was still without saying a word.

"He's wanted to tell you something. I think I should leave you two be." I told Bigwig, before I started to head my way to leave them talk.

"No. It's okay." Pipkin said. "And it's more than that, Bigwig. I heard a voice in the winds, calling your name."

I was surprised to hear Pipkin saying something that it could be irrational reasoning for a voice calling someone.

"Was no other rabbits around here, but us." Bigwig said.

"I know, but what if it was... _The Black Rabbit of Inle_." Pipkin said. Bigwig thought it was something it was big. I didn't even had a clue of who is _The Black Rabbit_.

" _Black Rabbit_? Are you meaning death, himself?" I asked for clarification.

Pipkin nodded for a "yes".

"If he's looking for me, he knows where to find me." Bigwig said, as he rubbed Pipkin's head, before hopping away.

" _The Black Rabbit of Inle_ , is a rabbit who takes a rabbit, when someone is near or ready for death." Pipkin explained.

I wouldn't think a rabbit would instantly being picked for death. However, Bigwig knew and he was aspecting, in case it came. It seemed impossible for death to pick a rabbit, even if nothing's happening. Than I remember that death comes unexpectedly, young and old, sick or not. Death could always come around at any corner or an inch.

After the incident was over, I sat back for a bit, until I was bored from hearing everyone chewing grass. I went inside to see Blackberry still digging.

"You're still digging?!" I was surprised.

She was somewhat a little upset that she refuse to speak. I went towards my bag and luckily to find a small shovel that I could start digging the warren. As I was starting to do it, I put some tunes to help me work. I went on digging while Blackberry slightly listened, but mostly watched me dig and sang at the same time.

 _Under that high school bleacher_

 _I drove that preacher's daughter crazy_

 _Her mama was my homeroom teacher_

 _And her dad was hell bent on saving me_

 _Yeah, I'm sure there's higher highs_

 _Where the high risers rise_

 _But me, I'm gonna sit right here tonight, and_

 _Catch me a 'round here buzz_

 _'Cause you ain't 'round here none_

 _Keep putting 'em down here, 'nother round here_

 _'Til my down goes up_

 _Lit up like that one stoplight_

 _Across from that welcome sign_

 _Ever since you caught that out there bug_

 _I catch me a 'round here buzz_

She stopped digging to listen to the song. "Whose that?" she asked.

I stopped digging for a bit. "That's Eric Church, he's a country singer."

"Country singer?"

I chuckled. "Country music is a genre of music that have roots in folk music from Southwest and/or plain ol' West."

"That's interesting. It's somewhat close to the stories we tell that are part of our lives and our roots." she added.

"Well... I listen to these music to help me work, cheering me up or letting out my anger, and/or just listening to it for amusement." I added.

She smiled, before going back to work, as did I. As I continued to work, I noticed that she still wasn't satisfy, because me helping her wasn't enough.

"It's a team effort, right?" I asked.

"We'll should have more help, but Bigwig said, 'Bucks don't dig.'" she said, even having the Bigwig impersonation.

I couldn't help, but laugh.

"You're laughing." she said.

I finished my laugh. "No, I only laughed, because you did a good impersonation of Bigwig." She chuckled.

"However, where I came from. If we're in this together, we need to work together as a team. Most times, we only fend for ourselves." I said.

"You mean, humans take care of themselves, not each other?" she was curious.

"Most times, like in big cities or you could say 'big warrens'." I said. "You should tell them."

"I can't. If something goes wrong, I'll feel like I'm the one to blame." she said.

"You can't be in the blame. You been trying to help making a new warren. How's that being blamed on?! How about we do it together? Tell Hazel about your concern, he'll go for it. And I'm sure everyone is already used to be here and fully settled by now."

"We're not settled until our warren is built." she added.

"Of course." I said with a smile. We stopped our digging, I turned off the music on my phone, and we went out of the warren to hear Hawkbit said something that I assumed slightly upset her more, worst than that everyone was eating grass.

"Once Blackberry's done digging us a nice cozy burrow, I'll enjoy it even more." he said.

Blackberry had enough. "Things would go a lot faster if everybody helped. I'd enjoy that, I really would."

I slightly nudged her with my hand on her shoulder for telling her, "good job".

"Look there's a weasel about and sooner we get everyone underground, the better." Hazel agreed.

"If you want to work like a dough, that's fine. We got our pride." Hawkbit said.

I shook my head and decided to confront him.

"Are you saying that you can't be able to work with everybody, or is it all of you. Bucks, who say, 'bucks don't dig.' I'm pretty sure you would more likely insult a doe, who is apparently more of a hard worker than of all of you." I said that got everyone's attention.

"There's six of you. Six of you leaving a doe, or to say a woman doing the whole work. You all should be ashamed and down right embarrassed, even myself." I said.

Hazel, Fiver, and Pipkin nodded their heads in agreement.

"I think all of you heard, Andrew's and more importantly Blackberry's point quite clear. I also think all of you better get digging." Hazel commanded, but Hawkbit and Dandelion wouldn't budge. Bigwig came to him.

"Oh you do?" Bigwig confronted.

"You heard me!" Hazel exclaimed.

"And who's going to make me?!" Bigwig growled, as Hazel growled as well, like a fight was going to happen. I decided to pull out my phone and YouTube for something to get their attention. Apparently, I decided to play off a gunshot effect that would make them aware. They gasped and ducked down to the grass.

"INSTEAD OF YOU GUYS WORKING TOGETHER AS YOU SHOULD! INSTEAD YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE A CIVIL WAR TO BEAT THE DAILY, LIVING CRAP OUT OF EACH OTHER?!" I shouted in anger, as the rabbits gasped in surprised. I was surprised I had to curse to get their attention, at least I didn't go beyond that or I'll probably get myself a Lifebuoy bar of soap in my mouth.

Fiver didn't want to see his brother and a fellow rabbit fight amongst themselves and tried to break up the fight. "He's right. There's no point of fighting."

"Shows what you know." Hawkbit mumbled.

"You better just shut up, you're not even close of helping or doing anything to solve this issue." I said to Hawkbit, as I shook my head in annoyance.

"There are other ways to settle things." Fiver went on.

"Such as?" Bigwig questioned Fiver.

"A game?" I asked.

"That's right! A match of _Bob-Stones_. If I win, you, Hawkbit, and Dandelion help with the digging." Fiver come up with a solution.

"And if Bigwig wins..." Dandelion smiled for a hint.

Fiver looked at his older brother for the lost bet. "If he wins, you all can lie on the grass for the rest of your lives." Hazel added.

"You have a deal!" Bigwig agreed.

"Wow, you're such a humanitarian, mister." I scolded.

"It's only fair to warn you. I was _Bob-Stones_ champion at Sandleford three seasons running." Bigwig boasted.

Fiver was shocked that he'll be challenged by a champion, as he's the underdog. "I didn't know that."

"I guarantee that I would win." Bigwig boasted, as he hopped away.

"If he was human, I would challenge him to a game of _Mortal Kombat_ , just only to rub it in him, from the stunts that he and Hawkbit pulled." I was still upset.

"A fight to the death?!" Fiver questioned with disbelief, as he thought 'mortal combat'.

"No, I'm sorry. I mean the video game called _Mortal Kombat_." I corrected Fiver.

"What kind of game is that? Besides fighting amongst each other." Hazel asked.

" _Mortal Kombat_ is a fighting video game that two players choose a character and fight for a match. I always enjoyed playing the game that I became good at it." I said. "I probably be Liu Kang doing bicycle and flying kicks, or Scorpion throwing his spear to stun his opponent to get a free hit."

I started trying to do some of the moves, as I make sound effects, until I fell flat on the grass from a trip. Hazel and Fiver couldn't help laugh that I was trying to show them moves, but I fell as a result.

"I'll wouldn't worry about it. I believe Fiver could win." Hazel patted his brother on the shoulder.

I sighed. "And again, I really don't want you guys fight each other."

"Me too." Fiver agreed.

"I could assure to the both of you, that it wouldn't happen again." Hazel promised.

"Pinky swear?" I let out my pinky finger.

Hazel and Fiver looked at each other and shrugged, until Hazel realized that if he's willing to keep his promise. "How about a shake on it?"

I than let my hand out, so Hazel, Fiver, and I put em up for a hand/paw shake, as a promise.

"So, what's _Bob-Stones_ anyway?" I asked them.

"How about you watch the game to see how it goes, you'll know better." Hazel said, as they smiled upon me.

Later on in the evening, Fiver and Bigwig had their match of _Bob-Stones_ , they're at a 2-2 tie. They briefly told me that about the game, as it is a guessing game for a rabbit to guess how many stones that are hidden underneath their paws. The anticipation was mounting, as it was Bigwig was turn to guess.

" _Bob-stone_ guess." Fiver signaled Bigwig's turn.

He came close to Fiver, only to attempt to spook him. However, he was manages to keep a straight face.

"Oh, oh, come on Biggie. I think you could do it." Dandelion cheered on.

I than started to play cue _The Jeopardy_ think song. Everyone stared at me, as the music came.

"Just to add the fun and little pressure." I said.

They turned back to the game, as Bigwig was thinking as a constant.

" _Bob-Stone_ guess is... one." he guessed.

Fiver smiled and lift his paw one at a time to see a stone was hidden. Bigwig knew he was now confident to see a stone, but the second paw reveals a second stone. He wasn't surprised to see he had a wrong close.

"Bad luck, bad luck. Come on, come on, I've seen you play better. Come on." Hawkbit coached Bigwig.

Bigwig signaled Fiver to turn around, as he's preparing to hide some stones.

"Great gameplay, Fiver! It seems like you know what you're doing." I complimented.

"Thank you." Fiver thanked.

"Guess this right, you win." Pipkin said.

" _Bob-stone_ guess." Bigwig was ready for Fiver to make a guess. Fiver kept his straight face, even I changed the banker music cue from _Deal or No Deal_.

Hawkbit sighed. "That's starting to drive me nuts, you know that?"

"Oh come on! It's just an anticipation music." I said.

" _Bob-stone_ guess is two." Fiver guessed.

Shocking Bigwig, he didn't let his emotions get to him, as he revealed two stones were hidden. I than played the ending theme from _The Apprentice_ for Fiver's victory.

Kehaar couldn't help, but laugh from the fact that a champion of _Bob-Stones_ , was defeated. "Now, you boys get to dig like does." Kehaar reminded them about the deal they had if they lost, everyone has to dig. Bigwig cleared his throat that silenced Kehaar's laugh.

"If you don't click that beak, I'll kick you off the down whether that wind works or not." he warned Kehaar with a threat.

"You're just upset, that you lost to a underdog, okay." I said to Bigwig.

Bigwig didn't even look and said anything to my face, but choose to ignore me.

"Leave Kehaar alone! You're not a bunny rabbit, you're a bully rabbit." Hannah stood up.

"I thought you were leaving." Bigwig said.

"Give her break, man. And you darn well, heard about what happened this morning, so she thought she could use you're guys help." I said.

"And you?" Bigwig questioned.

"To answer your question, I can't be able to find way back home as 'Alice'." I answered.

"Then why are you still here?" Bigwig asked.

I kept my silence because I have no answer to why I'm still here, since I have been here long enough.

"You cheated!" Hawkbit accused Fiver. "Didn't you? Hmmm? Those vision of powers of yours. You... you didn't have to guess."

"Leave Fiver alone, Hawkbit! You're just plan ol' jealous to him." I stood up.

"And your musics distracting and turning the match around." Hawkbit pointed his paws at my chest.

"Take your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty buck." I told Hawkbit, with a quote reference to _Planet of the Apes._ "You're very lucky, I didn't want break that paw of yours."

"It's alright, Andrew, that's enough." Fiver calmed me down and looked back at Hawkbit. "First, you don't believe I have visions. And now I'm using them to cheat?! Make up your mind would you."

"Hey, enough of that you three." Bigwig broke the three of us up.

"I lost. The _Owsla_ demands I accept that." he said to Hawkbit, before turning towards Fiver and myself. "Whether it was fair or not." Bigwig and Hawkbit hopped along their way, as Dandelion joined them.

"Thank you Fiver, I never know much everybody, except your brother stood up for me like." I thanked Fiver.

"No problem and thank you." Fiver said, as he thanked me back with a smile. "That's what friends do."

I smiled back. "That's what friends do."

"Well at least, we won." Blackberry said to Hazel.

"Did we?" Hazel questioned.

Blackberry hopped away, as for Hazel he lie down on the grass, by the under constructed warren's entrance. I walked towards him to have a chat.

"Even, if we win or not, they won't be able to lie on the grass and eat all day. What would happen if you guys were under attack, by someone or more in the matter, the weasel coming back?" I asked.

"I don't know. Normally, we would defend ourselves until they leave." Hazel answered.

"Things have been rough on first day on the down." Hannah joined us.

"We won't survive, if we keep fighting amongst ourselves and I don't know how to bring us together." Hazel said.

"There's two fractions of leaders right now! One is you, keeping everyone together and trying to build a warren. Another is Bigwig's, to keep the traditional ways, does dig and bucks lie on the grass, until they're done. Like the North and the South, during The American Civil War" I came up.

"That's problem of two leaders, there could be only one." Hannah concluded.

"I know." Hazel said and let out a sigh. "I guess my job's over, I got everyone safely to Watership Down. Maybe it's time for Bigwig to take over."

Hannah and I were shocked to hear Hazel suggest he should hand his leadership role to Bigwig.

"No, you're the leader!" Hannah refused.

"She's right! You have more leadership potential than Bigwigs, since the journey to Watership Down." I agreed with Hannah.

"You two are not listening." Hazel said.

"We're listening fine, who's the rabbit who got everyone to Watership Down?" I asked him.

Hazel was surprised and didn't second guess his answer. "I did."

"There you have, that makes you the leader, _finito_." Hannah stated.

"You have Italian in you?" I asked Hannah.

"Why's that?" she didn't quite understand.

"Because you said _finito_ , meaning in Italian, 'finished'." I explained.

She shrugged her shoulder at Hazel, as he did the same, before she went off.

"How come you come with things that we don't understand?" he turned towards me and asked.

"I don't know. Sometimes I things I hear or relate, I think of being back at home." I said.

"Tell me about yourself, where are you from?" he asked.

"I'm from California, that's a state in the United States." I answered.

"California? And United States?" he questioned.

"California is a state that is in United States of America, which is in North America, and that's on the other side. We're at Ecchinswell, Hampshire; which that is in United Kingdom." I explained.

"I guess your human world is different and a little complicated for us rabbits to know about your world." Hazel said.

"That's okay. You think as well I don't understand much about you're guys. It's reasonable." I understood.

He smiled. "Are you own or where do you live?"

"I live back with my father and I work in for a company called Wal-Mart for their online orders. Customers make online purchases and they could ship to a Wal-Mart store or to their home. And I'm trying to get back into education, so I could teach." I told Hazel more about myself.

"You're becoming a great teacher. Teaching us about the human world." Hazel complimented.

"Thanks. I do say the same thing, more than that a leader, a president." I complimented back.

"A president?"

"Whose a leader or in charge of a country. Where I came from, we're ruled by a president under Democracy." I explained. "I think you should be the leader, because you listened to everybody, trying to be fair with everyone equally, and respected everyone."

"How does 'a president' in your world become a leader?" Hazel asked.

"Well... that's a little more complicated than it is. There's a group of people or politicians from two separate parties get elected from each state, for the primary, until the general election comes. When it comes, each state and territories vote a leader from the two opposing parties. Who ever gets 260 electoral votes or more, that candidate becomes president, despite of whoever gets the popular vote." I explained to him the basics of how U.S. elections work.

"I think we should have an election on our own." Hazel suggested. "To see who has the most votes."

I didn't want to upset him or make him feel disappointed. "Hazel, that's like a big governments work. I see you guys trying to have democracy, but sometimes, following certain steps won't work."

"What do you mean?"

"There's a quote from Winston Churchill, who was Prime Minister for the United Kingdom. 'It has been said... Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others that have been tried.'" I quoted.

"That's well quote, I have heard." Hazel complimented.

"Also, it's only up to you to be the leader, because you have led a long journey here." I explained.

"You're saying that I should be 'the president' because I led a band to Watership Down safe?" Hazel suggested in question.

"Exactly." I stated.

Hazel thought for a minute and understood that he is the leader, since the beginning of the journey and during in times since they have arrived. "You're right."

I smiled and nodded for approval.

"After we finished this warren, I'll make sure you have your way home." Hazel promised.

I looked up to the sky to the tree is bigger. "Hopefully, there is a way home." I said, before we went off to help Blackberry and the others to work on our new warren.

 _To Be Continued..._


	6. Episode 2: Home on the Down Part 3

Home On The Down Part 3

After our couple hours of work in the warren, we had to sleep outside because of the warren's burrows isn't fully completed. Everyone was fully asleep, as I was leaning on the back singing to Luke Bryan to see if it could help me sleep.

 _Through the dirt and the gravel_  
 _Through the years and the miles_  
 _Every road that you traveled_  
 _Through the tears and the smiles_  
 _Through the clear and the muddy_  
 _Through the thick and thin_  
 _The quiet nights, the howling wind_

 _Through the good and the ugly_  
 _The blue and the black_  
 _To the ends of the Earth_  
 _To the moon and back_

 _Through all of the words_  
 _The mean and the kind_  
 _Through the strings that unravel_  
 _And the ties that bind_  
 _From the crazy and the different_  
 _To the more of the same_  
 _From the coast is clear_  
 _To a hurricane_

 _Yeah, I'll be right beside you_  
 _On a roll or off the tracks_  
 _To the ends of the Earth_  
 _To the moon and back_  
 _To the moon and back_

 _Through the bitter and the sweet_  
 _The cold and the fire_  
 _Lonely cotton sheets_  
 _And the burning desire_

 _Until our song is over_  
 _Til the stars all fade to black_  
 _I'm gonna love you_  
 _To the ends of the Earth_  
 _To the moon and back_  
 _Yeah, I'm gonna love you_  
 _All the way to the moon and back_

 _ _To the moon and back__

As the song finished, I started to close eyes and removed my headphones from my ears. Seconds after falling asleep, I started to hear some rustlings from the tall grass. I slowly pulled my switchblade from my pocket, as the rustles grew louder, as it was coming close. I decided to walk slowly, and the reveal shows the weasel I saw earlier today. I than slowly walk back to see if he would come out. Meanwhile, I started to hear Kehaar waking up.

"Andrew, what are you doing at night?" he asked.

"Shhh. The weasel came back, if he comes out from hiding, alert everyone." I instructed.

"Kehaar will." he said, however, before we could notice the weasel came out from his hiding and started to approach us slowly.

"WEASEL!" Kehaar flapped his wings, waking everybody up and alerted that the weasel was here, as I ready up my blade and charged at him. He raised his claw and I managed to grab a hold of it, as I was struggling to keep him from attacking. Bigwig than charged up at him, knocking him to the ground. Then he, Hazel, Hawkbit, Dandelion, and myself ganged up around the weasel five to one. Cowardly, the weasel falls back to the woods.

"Fall back to the burrow!" Bigwig instructed us like a general. We listened and started to fall back, as our eyes were still onto that weasel hiding in the woods.

"He's back in the woods again like always." I said.

"However, he'll be back for sure." Hazel warned us.

We went back towards our warren and fall asleep, before our new day begins.

* * *

After our long sleep and some light to eat, we went on to our work in the warren. The rabbits were more quicker than I'm from the use of their paws. I did the best I can every step in the way with a shovel to proceed on with the digging, with some tunes to help me work.

 _My daddy taught me in this country everyone's the same._  
 _You work hard for your dollar and you never pass the blame,_  
 _When it don't go your way._  
 _Now I see all these big shots whining on my evening news,_  
 _About how they're losing billions and it's up to me and you_  
 _To come running to ... the rescue._

 _Well pardon me if I don't shed a tear._  
 _Their selling make believe and we don't buy that here._

 _Because in the real world they're shuttin' Detroit down,_  
 _While the boss man takes his bonus paid jets on out of town._  
 _DC's bailing out them bankers as the farmers auction ground._  
 _Yeah while they're living up on Wall Street in that New York City town,_  
 _Here in the real world they're shuttin' Detroit down._  
 _Here in the real world they're shuttin' Detroit down._

"How could you listen to these such things?" Dandelion asked.

"It helps me work and it's suiting." I said.

"Whose that you're playing?" Fiver asked.

"John Rich's _Shuttin' Detriot Down_." I answered, as I continued to dig. As I scoop up some dirt it flew from the shovel and it landed on the back of Dandelion's head.

"Hey, do you mind?" Dandelion said.

"Sorry." I apologized.

"We should figure out how to deal with that weasel instead of doing doe's work." Bigwig complained.

"Oh come on, Bigwig. It's not that bad. Just the best you can, that's what I do." I tried to cheer him up.

"Easy for you to say. We try our best and what do we get." Before he could say another word, the dirt started to crumble down, as if it was going to collapse all around us.

"DUCK AND COVER!" I shouted, as I covered my face without getting dirt and dust onto my face. The dirt continues to crumble until it subsides, that I uncovered my face to see some roots up top.

"Everyone alright?" Blackberry asked all of us.

"I'm alright." I said, as I dusted myself off.

"All accounted for." Hawkbit answered. "Have we done enough yet?"

Blackberry looked around and noticed it was different, since we first work on the warren. "Actually, you haven't done badly at all."

We started to look around our surroundings. It first was a small burrow, until the crumble made it big enough for all of us to be in. The roots of the tree kept the ground above from collapsing and endangering us.

"Looks like a honeycomb." Fiver said.

"From bees making honey or from a bowl of honeycomb cereal?" I asked.

Fiver chuckled. "No... the roots holding up the ceiling and how they're shaped."

"Then that's what we'll call this chamber... The Honeycomb." Blackberry named this part of the warren.

"Once we get it cleared out, there'll be room enough for everyone." Hazel added.

"Cool." I said.

"Even Kehaar." Hannah added.

"Not likely." Hawkbit put her down.

"Come look at this." Pipkin called all of us. He found another passage in the warren, but it looked more that leads towards underground, as the dirt look more hardened.

"Do you suppose it goes somewhere?" Pipkin asked.

"Let's see." Hazel decided to inspect the passage himself. He poked his head through the big hole and than himself.

"Hello." he shouted, as it echo. I went through the hole and joined the echoing chat.

"Jack!" I shouted like Rose, as it echos. "Jack!"

"Nobody here." I said.

Hazel smiled, as he nodded his head from the joke I made, as we came back.

"It's narrow and rocky. And from the echo it goes on forever." he said. "Also smelling fresh air coming out of it."

"So it mus come out somewhere." Fiver said.

"Maybe a cave is nearby that leads underground caverns." I suggested the possibility.

"I heard stories from my uncle." Hannah said.

"What did he tell you?" I asked.

"My uncle has been to the underground world twice. Goes to the far side of the down." she answered about her uncle's journey.

"Wow. A cavern would be the most definite case." I said.

"Not much used to us, if you can't turn around." Dandelion looked through the passage.

"It'll do us a lot of good." Hazel said.

"How?" I asked.

"I think I know how to tackle that weasel." Hazel thought of an idea.

* * *

We than regrouped outside of the warren to hear Hazel's proposal on how to trick the weasel. The plan however, seemed to simply cut and dry.

"If we can get the weasel to go down the rock tunnel, we could seal it behind him." Hazel proposed.

"Yeah and he'll come up somewhere far away hopefully never to return." Bigwig agrees. "But how do we get him in, ask nicely?"

"I'll get him to chase me. You'll be waiting outside ready to rush in and seal off the rock tunnel." Hazel answered with a possible risk.

"I think someone should point out the obvious floor you'll be sealed in there too, Hazel." Hawkbit slightly disagrees with light concern of Hazel's risk.

"I know. If I don't do it, the weasel will get us sooner or later. There's no choice really." Hazel assured.

"However, there's a slight chance that there could be an escape route in the tunnel, if either way, you or the weasel find his way out of the caverns. Slight chance that you won't be able to make it out of there alive and/or the weasel could find his way back here." I add.

The silence came amongst us, as the risk we should take or take our chances that we do nothing, until the weasel comes back. Possibly taking us out one by one, or all of us.

"Let me do it Hazel." Bigwig tries to volunteer.

"Look-"

"No listen." Bigwig interrupted Hazel. " _The Black Rabbit of Inle_ is coming for me. I heard him calling my name."

"Bigwig, there's a quarter to a half chance that death could come to you." I said.

"Yes, but _The Rabbit_ only takes the old and sick to 'the land beyond life'. Dandelion added.

"I disagree." I said.

"How could you said that?" Dandelion questioned.

"Death comes after anyone. Even if you're young, it could come at the unexpected time." I explained.

"Besides, it's gotta be a mistake." Dandelion doubted Bigwig.

"I don't believe he makes mistakes. Pipkin heard him too." Bigwig pointed out, as he turned to Pipkin for evidence.

"He called... 'Bigwig... Bigwig...'." Pipkin said with a impersonation of voice of Death.

"Right, Pipkin. They got the idea." Bigwig said as he placed his paw on Pipkin's shoulder. "The point is when _The Black Rabbit_ comes to carry you off to 'the land beyond life', you go."

"Being called when the time comes or at the unexpected." I repeated.

"What do you mean?" Bigwig asked.

"We're only called by God if our time has come in death, some would be sudden." I answered.

"Look Hazel, we've had our differences, but none of us would be here without you." Bigwig admitted.

I noticed a change of Bigwig, even though he would probably keep his personality, but he's loyal from his _Owsla_ days in Sandleford Warren.

"If Watership Down is gonna survive, they need you and... and your new ideas of yours. Let me do this last thing for everyone." Bigwig added.

I started to feel bit guilty because our differences, as I'm sure he is also. I felt like I need to make a mends.

"Bigwig?"

"What is it?" he asked.

"I'm sorry how I was with you. Even having a stern personality, but you're not all that bad." I apologized.

"I'm sorry too." He apologized with a smile. "Hawkbit, Pipkin, over there! The rest of you hiding in the tall grass behind the tree."

"Kehaar-" before Bigwig could say anything, he was given a hug by him.

"For you, I do anything, Mr. Bigwig. Hero bunny, most brave rabbit." Kehaar praised.

"Yeah, alright. That's nice, thank you." Bigwig sarcastically thanked him from the hug, even though it was weird. "When you see the weasel going after me, sound the alarm."

Kehaar made an alarm call that nearly blasted my ears. "Like that?"

"Yeah, without blasting my ear, man." I said, as the rabbits laughed.

Hannah came out of the warren. "Come inside."

"What is it?" I asked.

"I want to show you something." she said, before going inside the warren, as we followed. We than arrived at the same place, where Hazel thought of his original idea to trick the weasel.

"Uhhh... Hannah, you just showed us the same place where Pipkin found it." I said.

"You watch." she said and dashed into the tunnel. She went in there so fast that, we couldn't be able to see where she went.

"Wonder where she went?" I asked Hazel.

"Beats me." he said.

As we waited for her, I felt a tap on my leg. I looked behind me and noticed Hannah came out of no where that had me jumped with a shriek, and landed on Hazel, as I held onto him. Surprising him as well, for Hannah coming out of the tunnels at ease. Hannah let out a good laugh.

"Good trick eh?" she said.

"Yeah, just don't try to scare like that again." I said.

She giggled. "You two look funny."

"What do you mean?!" I questioned.

"Andrew, your arms." Hazel pointed out.

I looked at Hazel and we were close, as I noticed my arms were around him. I let go and stepped back, as he chuckled.

"Sorry. I... I... I was just scared." I apologized.

"Nothing to worry at all." Hazel assured. We than went back outside of our warren and told everyone about Hannah's trick, as Bigwig wrapped up his sacrificial plan.

"We find another way to trick the weasel and not having to lose you Bigwig!" I exclaimed.

"Hannah is going to lead the weasel into the rock tunnel!" Hazel announced.

"I beg your pardon." Bigwig didn't understand.

"There's a tiny escape hole, just the right size for Hannah. It also leads back to the burrow." Hazel explained.

"And you say 'mice were no good.'" Hannah recalled with a chuckle.

"Yeah, all well and good, but I'm not letting a mouse to a rabbit's job." Bigwig rejects.

"Now be sensible, Bigwig." Fiver tries to reason him.

Bigwig shook his head for a 'no'. " _The Black Rabbit_ is coming for me."

Hazel was about to say, but I lift my hand up and winked. He than nodded his head, as he's letting me try to talk him out.

"You know Bigwig, you're giving a chance to live your life. You don't to throw it away, as a martyr. Possibly, yet." I reasoned.

"I'm not saying it again and you don't understand." Bigwig disagrees.

I sighed. "You know Bigwig, you're starting to piss me off. You're just throwing your life away for nothing, not even a gain."

"I'm sorry. I'm going and that's final." he said, as he started to hop away.

"He's stubborn, as a jackass." I said.

"I beg your pardon?" Hazel became confused.

"Forget it." I said.

Hazel forgot what I said and noticed Bigwig was preparing for his failed plan. "Grab him."

With Hazel's command, we started to gang up on Bigwig in a circle.

"You wouldn't dare." Bigwig doubts.

"Really? Two hits. You trying to leave and another for you hitting in the ground, like a dog pile. Whenever you're ready." I smirked.

Bigwig stubbornly shook his head and tried to leave, but quickly stopped by us piling on him to the ground, in a split second.

"You just said, 'Hazel was leader.' Best we follow his commands, don't you think?" Hawkbit suggested.

"A smart, sarcastic, rabbit would say it, without a doubt, even being loyal to his leader first." I commend Hawkbit.

"Alright! Alright! Alright!" Bigwig gave up.

"Besides, why do you think I should do it alone?" Hannah questioned.

"What're you saying?" Bigwig asked, after getting up from being piled.

"I need someone else to go along with me to distract the weasel." Hannah added, as she looked at me, along with everybody else.

"Me?!" I questioned, as they all smirked.

"Seems to me, it's your lucky day lad." Bigwig said, as it was his payback on me.

I let out a sarcastic laugh. "Are you kidding me?"

"Not at all." Hazel smirked.

"Are you... kidding me?"

Hazel signaled for the rest of the rabbits to pile on me, as we did to Bigwig. Now Bigwig, thought it would be a lot of fun.

"Get...AWAY!" I pleaded. "I'll do it!"

* * *

The night came, as Hannah and I went out of the warren. She was slightly nervous, as I was a little and surprised that she would try to have me involve with this.

"I can't believe you got me into this." I said.

"You'll have to believe it now." she said, as she started to shake.

"You're little frightened from the weasel?" I assumed.

"Oh yes, of course! You don't see a tiny mice fleeing when a human spotted us?" she questioned.

Thinking back on some experiences, I did get paranoid when I got to garages, certainly at my mother's, because of mice problem we used to have. "I see your point."

We than spotted the weasel going on it's nightly hunt for preyed animals.

"You're ready?" I asked Hannah.

"As of you?" she asked me back.

We nodded.

"Smell breath!" she shouted at the weasel, before retreating.

"I'm over you moron, come and get us!" I shouted at the weasel loud enough that it got our attention, before following Hannah. She hid behind a small rock, as I hid behind a long, wide, root. The weasel came into the warren and started to smell.

"No long-ears." The weasel spoke.

I whistle at the weasel and waved. It started to attract to my scent, but Hannah jumped out that the weasel turned away and started to follow her instead. I slowly sneak on it, hoping that it won't turn around and spotted me while keeping my distance.

"Mouse mouthful now, long-ears..." he spoke.

I swallowed my spit quietly.

"...And man later." before going into the tunnel. I grabbed from my pockets and surprised that I still have some TNT poppers. I started to throw it towards the direction towards Hannah, as we planned... with improvising. However, the weasel barely budge.

"Smelly breath! Smelly breath!" Hannah yelled, as the weasel got to her scent. I started to move the rock, but it was too heavy for me to move, as I struggled.

The rabbits came just in time to pull enough strength to block the tunnel, preventing the weasel escape. As we waited, I decided to clown on Hannah. I hid behind a rock and waited for her to come out. She than emerges from the smallest hole of another tunnel access. I jumped and gave her a scare, as she gasped.

"Pretty scary. And don't do that again!"

"Oh come on, make this one fair, because you scared me." I joked, as she shook her head.

"You two were wonderful!" Hazel commended.

"I supposed mice and gulls..." Bigwig said, but I interrupted him as I 'ahem' for him trying to forget about me. "...and a 'man' aren't completely useless after all."

"Prayers indeed. But it's gonna to be best from you, Bigwig." she said.

* * *

Later on we went outside to watching the evening.

"Easy, as acorns falling off an oak." Hazel said.

"I agree, I never thought it would be that worst." I added.

"Oh come now, it wasn't that bad." Bigwig said.

I chuckled, as I shook my head and looked back at the stars. "I never realized it's beautiful at night here."

"I beg your pardon." Hawkbit said.

"Just look at the stars. It proves in a clear sky night." I said. We all than looked at the stars. "I really loved this kind of weather in the evening: stars brightened, clear skies, with a bright moon. Nothing wrong with it."

Hazel looked back at me. "Any ideas now?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You trying to get home." he said.

"I don't know... being small as Alice is one thing. However, being with great friends like you all is another." I said.

"You don't mean it." Hawkbit doubts.

"Well... I mean you and Bigwig are more stubborn than Dandelion, except when it comes to food." I joked that had everyone laugh, even Hawkbit slightly.

 _Bigwig..._ a voice came from somewhere.

"Who in the mother of earth, in that hour at night?" I wondered.

 _Where are you..._ the voice came again.

"It's _The Black Rabbit of Inle_." Hawkbit was spooked.

Bigwig stood up. "I'll... have to go now. Be good Pipkin." He than went on his way. I quickly followed.

"What are you doing?!" he whispered.

"Following you. I rather to see if it would be someone at least." I said.

"That is _The Black Rabbit_. He may take you too." he added.

"Are you his adoptive father?" I asked.

" _The Black Rabbit's_? Of course not!" he exclaimed.

"No... I mean Pipkin." I clarified.

Bigwig than understood what I meant to say. "After his parents were taken, I watched him since Sandleford."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he would get lonesome at night like this. Fearing the weasel would take him too, so at some nights I kept close to Pipkin." Bigwig explained.

I didn't thought he had some father-figured personalities in him. "I know you looked after him, by thinking about it."

"I'm not really his father." he said.

"In a real sense, you do. A good one. Just like Hazel with Fiver." I said.

"Thank you, but theirs are a different story, than mine and Pipkins." he added.

We were than followed by Hazel and Fiver. "What do mean our story?"

"How come you guys come quietly following us like ninjas." I said.

"What are ninjas?" Fiver asked.

"Someone who has excelled skills, like in Ancient Japanese days." I answered.

"Forget about 'ninjas' or what not, but you three get back." Bigwig warned us. "You look on the face of _The Black Rabbit_ , he'll take you all too."

"We're not letting you face him alone." Hazel said.

"All for one and one for all." I stated.

The four of us smiled, as the voice called out to Bigwig once again. A figure started to emerge from the woods, at first it was dark black that I couldn't see. Then a grey rabbit with scars came out of the woods.

"By _Frith_ , it's Captain Holly!" Hazel exclaimed and recognized the rabbit.

"Who?" I asked.

"Captain Holly is the part of the _Owsla_ from Sandleford Warren." Fiver explained. We watched the injured Captain Holly fall to the ground, weakened, then we went close to him.

"I have been searching for days." he spoke.

"For them?" I asked.

Spooked from seeing a man such as myself. "Your people did this."

"What are talking about?" I questioned.

However, he turned to see Fiver. "You were right. We should have left, when we have a chance."

"Did anyone else get out of Sandleford Warren?" Fiver asked.

"Pimpernal. He's safe. Left him in another warren." Captain Holly spoke.

"At least another rabbit escaped." I was relieved.

"Still, your people destroyed our warren." Bigwig accused.

"You can't pin point on me, because I'm 'man'." I said.

"No, but your kind destroys warrens, as we're trying to live." he explained.

I couldn't get to grips from the fact that we could sometimes to the most move in, without thinking any other signs of life among us. Even somewhere that hardly any human being is living, except animals.

"I guess you're right. I'm sorry." I apologized.

"I know, lad. Not everything single handily is your fault, except your kind." Bigwig said before looking back at Captain Holly. "He's from another world and we're trying to get him back home."

"Another world?" Captian Holly spoke.

"Long story, but I can tell you about it sometime, when you're recovered." I spoke kindly better than before.

"Either way, we're all that's left." Captain Holly added.

"It's alright, Holly. You're safe now, you're with us." Bigwig comforted Holly.

"I saw it all in my head, Hazel. I felt the fear, but part of me hoped I was wrong." Fiver recalled about his vision about Sandleford's destruction.

"I know." Hazel spoke.

"And it's not your fault and you were right." I added.

"Sandleford's gone and we're all alone." Fiver feared. "What do we do, Hazel?"

"As our ancestors did before us, Fiver. We go on." Hazel stated.

"Move on, basically." I said.

"Yes. We go on." Hazel said it back to me.

"I guess that works for all of us." I agreed. We than headed back to the warren, only before going in, I looked up at the stars and new stars glowed in the night.

"You rabbits might have been from Sandleford." I said. Than a shooting star passed through. "I'll look after them too."

 _To Be Continued..._


	7. Episode 3: The Easy Life Part 1

The Easy Life Part 1

Days after Captain Holly has found Bigwig and the others, I started to have a dream in the middle of the night, as I was shaking in my sleeping bag. I woke up to see a warren of rabbits were going through their daily lives, before going outside for the morning. The sounds of tractors, backhoe vehicles, and other heavy construction vehicles began to rumble and shake the warren. Dirt started to fill in the warren and blocking different entrances and exits of the whole warren. The rabbits started to panic, as bucks tried to dig through the buried dirt, as does kept their kittens together to comfort them. The worst came, as the air started to smell like chemicals, like being locked into a gas chamber from one of the death camps that occurred during The Holocaust. It was a massive panic and fright that the rabbits started to cramp into each other by each dead end, only for an effort to dig through, except being crushed and cramped to death. After I was being cramped by the desperate rabbits, I saw the same colored rabbit, turning out to be Captain Holly trying to escape. I watched him escaped with a fellow rabbit, then the ground began to be plowed by the heavy equipment to digging the burrow out. I was caught on a backhoe construction vehicle to be dropped into a pit where the rabbits once lived were being buried.

The dirt started to rain hard on me to bury me alive. I than woke up from my dream and I screamed. Drenched in sweat, I was on my sleeping bag and looked around to see I was still small, and still at Watership Down.

"Andrew, are you alright?" Hazel and Fiver came.

"I'm fine... just a bad dream." I said.

"Do you want to tell us about it?" Fiver asked.

I nodded for a "yes". They came and sat down beside me and told them how Sandleford Warren was destroyed. Hazel and Fiver couldn't help, but remain calmly shock. As they heard from Captain Holly retelling us earlier in the night, before going to bed.

"I feel like it's my fault, as Bigwig recalled." I blamed myself.

"You're not to blame of Sandleford Warren's destruction. Even Bigwig apologized." Fiver reminded me.

"I know." I felt a little burdened. "I still feel like I'm the one to blame, you're guys home was destroyed by humans."

"Sometimes you can't be able to do anything about, unless you took action to convince them otherwise that us rabbits lived here." Hazel persuaded.

"I'll try until I return back home." I said.

"I know you will someday." Hazel smiled.

"Try to get some rest and we'll see you in the morning." Fiver smiled, as they were about to leave.

"Wait, can you guys stay please?" I asked. "I don't want to be alone, after a nightmare."

Hazel and Fiver looked concerned at each other, before nodding and joined me for a slumber. They surrounded me and I scooted towards them, as I rested my head on Hazel's side.

"Thank you." I thanked.

"Nothing at all." Hazel said. "Get some some sleep."

I closed my eyes, as I tucked myself into my sleeping bag and blankets.

* * *

I than woke up to see myself laying my head back on my pillow. A little tired from last night, but it was a better sleep afterwards. I than noticed Fiver was moving in his sleep until he started to open his eyes.

"Good morning, Andrew." Fiver said.

"Good morning, sleep good?" I asked.

"I did. How about you?" Fiver answered and asked me. "You recovered from your bad dream?"

I nodded. "I did thank you. If you guys weren't there, I probably won't sleep."

"I was like that, when I have nightmares. Hazel stays by my side, until the morning." Fiver added.

I smiled, as I picked up my phone and saw a message from Walter. I unlocked my phone to view the message.

"What is it?" Fiver hopped over to me.

I remained silent, as I read the message to myself. _Andrew, where are you? I had to give up, because our flight is today. The authorities said they'll continue their search for you. Hopefully, you're found soon and wish the best of luck. Goodbye._

"I can't believe he left me." I said.

Fiver placed his paw on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Andrew."

"It's not your fault. Now I know that I'm stuck here until I found my way home. Unless I do grow back." I sadly stated.

"We'll still help you find your way home no matter what happens." he said.

I decided to agree that overtime if I can't find my way back, at least I'll have some help. We left our beds and started to journey towards the outside. However, we were stop to see Captain Holly was fidgeting in fear.

"He's having a nightmare, alike to what I have." I said. We hurried over to his side, as he his nightmare was getting worsened.

"It's alright, Holly wake up. You're safe at Watership Down." Fiver tried to wake him up.

Holly than woke up with a gasp and turned to see us standing next to him. "Oh Fiver, it's you."

"You just had a horrible nightmare, like I have." I said.

He nodded his. "We have to go back for Pimpernel."

"When you're better." Fiver assured him.

"Just try to get some rest, you had a long journey." I agreed, as Holly started to go back to sleep.

* * *

When Fiver and I exited the warren, we saw everyone else up and bright: Blackberry digging, Hawkbit, Pipkin, and Dandelion possibly eating some grass for breakfast.

"Good morning." I said.

"Morning all." Fiver said.

"Lovely day isn't." Pipkin said to the both of us.

Hawkbit mumbled from waking up early in the morning. "Hawkbit is not much of a morning rabbit." according to Dandelion while he's eating grass.

Fiver and I moved along and overheard Hazel's and Bigwig's conversation.

"I still can't believe Sandleford Warren is gone." Hazel felt disbelief that Sandleford Warren was destroyed. "Holly was lucky to escape."

"Yeah, and we have you and Fiver to thank for making us leave." Bigwig said.

"Yes, his visions saved us all." Hazel added.

"But, it doesn't mean he's right about everything." Bigwig doubts about Fiver's visions being right all the time.

We came to meet them. "I never said I was." Fiver said, surprising Bigwig.

"Oh, how's Holly?" Bigwig asked.

"Better. He wants to go back for Pimpernel." Fiver answered.

"You see Hazel, that's an _Owsla_ captain for you!" Bigwig cheered. "More concerned for his troops than himself."

"A captain or a general not wanting to leave their troops behind. Very relating I must say." I spoke.

"Why worry about Pimpernel? Holly said he's safe in a fine big warren." Hazel said.

Bigwig realized if Pimpernel is safe the concern is a little less. For the fact, that he is with an organized warren, unlike their's are underdeveloped.

"Yeah, I'm sure it's better than safer than this forsaken place." Bigwig envies.

"You're wrong, Bigwig. This is the only safe place." Fiver disagrees.

"He's right. How could you beat a safe place like this to view the countryside." I followed.

* * *

"Are you all better?" Hazel asked me, as he changed the topic.

"Sort of... the dream I had still haunts me a bit." I said.

"What was it about?" Bigwig asked.

"About Sandleford Warren's destruction. It was a nightmare, like I was there witnessing it and there's more about it that I can't and I don't want to go on detail." I told them, as I shivered from recalling the dream I had.

"It's alright. We may never know how it was destroyed, except from what Captain Holly told us." Hazel and Fiver comforted me.

"If only I could have stop it, none of this would have happened." I was wishful thinking about changing the event.

"You there's nothing you could have done, lad. Except changing the future." Bigwig said.

I nodded until an idea popped into my head. "I say that we could see if Pimpernel is safe to the least, to check on him, before coming back here with us or not."

"Andrew's right! Also to have a look at this mysterious warren, we might like it." Bigwig agrees, as well to investigate the warren also.

"Ahhh... not trying to get out of digging burrows are you?" Hazel guessed. I couldn't help giggle if that was Bigwig's true intention.

Bigwig was too quick to think that he was wanting to not dig, but came up with a great song-writing dance routine. "Perish the thought. I was only thinking of Pimpernal."

I shook my head. "That is a such a load of big lie in one sentence."

"Unless you have another idea?" Bigwig questioned me, as the three looked at me.

"No, no. I would go by what you said 'to cover your ass theory'." I said.

"I beg your pardon?" he asked.

"I think you wanted to remain negative, like Hawkbit and Dandelion, and not do a thing. In the end, you could come up a big story to say, 'I told you so' or you just think you didn't want to anything that regarding to digging." I came up with a theory. Hazel and Fiver couldn't help to chuckle, as they try to keep a straight face.

"I'll prove it to you when we find Pimpernel." Bigwig challenged me.

"You're on." I accepted the challenge.

* * *

The four of us went back towards the tree to see Blackberry is providing a demonstration to the rest of the rabbits to dig. As of the rest of the rabbits: Hawkbit, Dandelion, and Pipkin sat and ate some grass.

"Sounds complicated." Hawkbit mumbled with a small moan.

Blackberry came out of the dug up hole. "So who wants first go?"

Hawkbit, Dandelion, and Pipkin tried to point out which of the three should dig, instead of themselves. Trying not to be it.

"Hawkbit it is." Blackberry chooses. She than reminds him how to dig, but he seemed to let her know that he knows how to do it. We watched Hawkbit dig, but he seemed to be slow as a digger for a beginner. I looked back to see Kehaar was trying to sleep, as he hears Hawkbit's moans, until he felt a pain.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"A broken nail!" Hawkbit curses at the dirt, as he broke his own nail.

"Not so much noises, please." Kehaar said. "Kehaar's resting."

"Sorry, but Hawkbit has been called for dibs on the digging." I joked.

"I did not!" he shouted through the dirt.

"Did too." I joked.

"Got any worms for Kehaar?" Kehaar asked.

I shook my head for a 'no' and Hawkbit didn't respond as he continued to dig. He sprung up some dirt from the ground that it hit Hazel nearly by the mouth.

"Head-shot!" I joked and giggled.

"Keep up the good work, Hawkbit." Hazel commends, after spitting the dirt from his face.

"Sorry I had to laugh, it was funny." I apologized.

Hazel smirked and he picked up some dirt. "Think fast." Before I could think, he threw the dirt at my face.

"My eyes! Dang it, the dirt... it kills." I joked, as Blackberry and everyone else chuckled.

"We're going off to find Pimpernel and bring him back." Hazel said to Blackberry.

"That's a right idea." Dandelion agrees.

Blackberry closed her eyes to notice that Dandelion was covering himself to not to dig. "Oh, just like a buck. Anything to get out of real work."

"Thank you." I rolled my eyes at Bigwig.

"I'm trying to be serious about this." he said.

"I'll just tidy up a bit and I'll be right with you." Hawkbit said.

"Me too." Pipkin agreed.

"I'm shocked." I was disappointed, including Blackberry was also.

"It's just me, Bigwig, Fiver, Andrew, and me this time, sorry." Hazel said.

"You're sorry. Hmph." Hawkbit said.

"I know, bucks don't normally dig, but this is a new place with new ideas. Blackberry needs your help." Hazel persuaded.

The three bucks disappointed for not being able to be tagged along. "I hate new ideas."

* * *

As I was packing up and ready for a new journey, Blackberry came and visited.

"You're leaving too." she said.

I sighed. "If I could be able to find my way back, it'll be a start."

"I know. Just be careful along the way and keep a good eye on them." she instructed me.

"I'll. And hey, if I did find my way back, I could try to come back and see you guys for the last time." I said.

"We'll like that very much." Blackberry smiled, as I smiled back. "Well, have a luck of _El-ahrairah_ to you."

I nodded as she meant to say 'good luck'. "Thank you. Well you be alright, with everybody else?"

"We will be fine." she assured.

"When we come back, we'll resume digging along the everybody else." I said.

She nodded with a smile and hopped away. As I got the rest of my belongings packed and placed my travel backpack on my shoulder, I started to head my way out of the warren, until Captain Holly approached.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm coming along with Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig to see if Pimpernel is safe in his new warren." I answered.

"Let me come along." he wanted to come along.

"Are sure you're feeling better?" I asked. "Especially the dream you had."

"I'm alright, lad. I can't let you, Hazel, and Bigwig find him on your own." he added.

"Well, you're the captain and if he's means so much to you. Feel free to come along Captain Holly." I said.

"Thank you, son." he than followed me and exited out of the warren. "Also, you don't have to call me Captain Holly, just call me Holly."

"Either way suites you, you're still a captain either way in their eyes." I said.

"I didn't remember asking your name, son?" he said.

"Well no... name's Andrew, just call me Andrew." I said and let out my hand for shake. He didn't quite understand it, until he lift his paw out and we shook on it.

"Nice to meet you, lad." he said.

"Like wise." I said. After our friendly greeting on meeting each other, we saw Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig were going downhill. Captain Holly called out to them, as we're on our way down and we regrouped.

"I'd rather you stayed behind, Holly. You're still weak." Hazel warned him.

"Shows what you know, he's _Owsla_!" Bigwig said. "We can handle anything, right Holly?"

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Hazel asked Holly.

"Yes, I think so." Captain Holly assures.

"He sound convincing, as I was heading out." I said to Hazel. He than decided to have Holly come.

"Who's in charge here anyway?" Captain Holly asked.

The four of us looked at each other, until I looked back at him. "I don't think we have anyone in charge for this trip."

"Yeah, right. If we're gonna go let's go." Bigwig decided. We than began our journey to find Pimpernel. Meanwhile, I turned on some tunes and came across Willie Nelson's _On The Road Again_.

 _On the road again_  
 _I just can't wait to get on the road again_  
 _The life I love is makin' music with my friends_  
 _And I can't wait to get on the road again_

 _On the road again_  
 _Goin' places that I've never been_  
 _Seein' things that I may never see again_  
 _And I can't wait to get on the road again_

 _Here we go, on the road again_  
 _Like a band of Gypsies we go down the highway_  
 _We're the best of friends_  
 _Insisting that the world keep turnin' our way_

 _And our way is on the road again_  
 _I just can't wait to get on the road again_  
 _The life I love is makin' music with my friends_  
 _And I can't wait to get on the road again, break free_  
 _And I can't wait to get on the road again_

I continued to sing the song from my phone, as we embarked our search for another Sandleford Warren survivor.

 _To Be Continued..._


	8. Episode 3: The Easy Life Part 2

The Easy Life Part 2

When we got into our stop, Bigwig sniffed in the air for nearby scent. I was a bit tired from all the walking, although I still have some music to entertain myself on my phone.

"Doesn't look quite as bad during the day, does it?" Bigwig said.

"The warren's on the far side of the woods." Captain Holly catches up. "Just wait until you see it."

"Why?" I was taking some breaths.

"A fellow called Cowslip seems to be in charge." he answered.

"Hopefully, Pimpernel is safe either way." I said.

"As for all of us." he remembered the reason why we're heading to the so called "Cowslip's Warren".

"Either Cowslip is or isn't in charge of the warren." Bigwig said.

"You'd think so." Captain Holly said to Bigwig.

"Possibly." Bigwig added.

Captain Holly nodded. "Anyway, you've never a healthier, sleeker bunch. They're living the easy life I'll tell you."

"Really?" I doubted. The turned their heads towards me. "I mean come on. No one could live an easy life. To say that they can't have an easier life you guys have or I have."

"There's always an easy life, if you are living in a organized warren." Bigwig said.

"So there's not much hope of them joining us I suppose." Hazel assumed if the warren is functioned enough to be called a warren.

"Maybe we should join them." Bigwig suggested, as he hops on his way.

"Bigwig..." I called for him and he turned around. "Don't forget our little deal we made our deal."

"What are you talking about?" Bigwig questioned.

"Remember, I thought you said it was for Pimpernel's safety rather than joining the new warren." I warned him.

The rest of the bucks looked sapling at him. "Well of course. I haven't forgot." he said, as I shaken my head with disapproval. We than continued with our journey in the woods, until Fiver had a feeling about Cowslip's Warren, as he looked at the worried Captain Holly.

"Something about Cowslip bothers you doesn't it Holly?" Fiver asked Captain Holly.

"I never said that." Captain Holly said to Fiver, as he was a bit nervous.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"I'm sure of it." he said.

"With Fiver you don't have to." Hazel assured Captain Holly.

Captain Holly managed to get out of his comfort zone of not telling us a small detail, he may hide. "Well, since you asked. Yes, Cowslip seemed a bit off. They all did."

"What do you mean?" I asked for details.

"As if they were... lost?" Fiver guessed an answer.

"Something like that... how would you know?" Captain Holly asked.

"He gets feelings." Bigwig tries to clarify to Captain Holly. All the sudden, they started to hear some music that it was coming from my phone. I made a little a joke to play the first few seconds of Marvin Gaye's _Let's Get It On_. I lip-sync as the music was playing, until the bucks stared at me with a bleak, mildly stern, and confused looks, resulting me to stop the song.

"You said feelings, did you?" I questioned Bigwig.

"I mean Fiver's feelings of seeing things... or visions you turnip blockhead!" Bigwig exclaimed.

I started to choke of a stammer chuckle. "Right, sorry."

"What was that anyway?" Captain Holly asked.

"A 'man' made object that he uses daily." Bigwig replied.

"Not all day, but most." I corrected.

"Something wrong Fiver?" Hazel looked back at Fiver.

"I don't know. Maybe." Fiver wasn't sure.

"Right, we're not here to play _Bob-Stones_." Bigwig announced, before we proceeded on.

* * *

After our short continue of our long trip to find Cowslip's Warren for Pimpernel. We arrived the exit of the woods, by a open meadow where there's a small hill that it was almost stacked. We even saw two rabbits outside, as it presumes to be Cowslip's Warren: one of them was a light colored tan rabbit with whiskers that it almost looks like from a animated cat, and the second rabbit was orange colored. We oversee them, as what the rabbits eat _flayrah_ , or from what I see basically carrots.

"That's Cowslip's Warren?" I questioned.

"Not even scared of being seen, are they?" Bigwig questioned as well.

We even saw the warren's entrance. "Look at the size of the burrows, you could get a horse in there!" Hazel surprisingly said.

"A horse?! Pfffft. You wish, that would be more of a size for Alice could fit in the size of that hole." I remarked.

"Whose Alice?" Captain Holly asked.

"Yeah, you mentioned that name another time, who is she?" Bigwig asked.

"She's a character from _Alice in Wonderland_ , that she followed a white rabbit and fell inside the burrow, taking her to Wonderland." I briefly answered.

Bigwig lifted his brow, as he still didn't understand the synopsis of _Alice in Wonderland_.

"The big one is Cowslip and the other is called Strawberry." Captain Holly pointed out the rabbits. "They said they'd take care of Pimpernel."

"In that case, he should be here, if they have." I let out a relief.

Fiver began to shiver, as his eyes were closed. I noticed that he started to have vision or a thought.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"I don't think I like this place." he said.

"Shows what you know, these rabbits have got a life here." Captain Holly stated.

"We're not turning back now, Fiver." Bigwig scorned.

"Okay look! We're only here to find Pimpernel, right. Let's just go over there and pick him up and head back home." I said.

The bucks looked at each other and agreed, until a tiny drop came down on us, with a small lightening ambient from the distance.

"I'm in for spending the night in a warm dry borrow." Hazel realized it started to rain.

I looked up to see the rain clouds came. "What, what now?! A rainy season! A storm warning! Oh sweet, lord have mercy, I'm melting. I'm melting! I'M MELTING!" I screamed, as I buried my face to the ground, as if I was melting.

"It's just the rain, Andrew." Hazel chuckled.

I uncovered my face and feel more raindrops keep falling on my head. "Oh..." I chuckled. "I knew that." We started to head towards the warren and the two rabbits Captain Holly pointed out spotted us and hopped towards us.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome." the two rabbits spoke, as they hopped around us in circles. "Greetings all." They started to go on and on about their friendly greeting that started to have me and the bucks go unease. I was even more confused than Hazel and Bigwig.

"Are they seriously on it or what?" I whispered to Hazel.

He simply shrugged his shoulders, as he doesn't know. "What's wrong with them?" he than whispered to Captain Holly.

"It's a thing they do when they meet." Captain Holly answered.

I stared at them, as they maintain their oddly, friendly faces. "Uhhhhh... hi." They stopped after I spoke.

"We've come for Pimpernel." Captain Holly spoke to them.

"Come inside. Out of the rain. Soft and sweet they may be." The lightly tan, with resemblance of cat whiskers spoke, as he and the orange rabbit entered their warren. Bigwig and Captain Holly immediately went inside, but me and Fiver were hesitate.

"Yeahhhhhh... not that it's unusual or something, but I think they lost or something that I might just stay out here with Fiver." I said, as I stood next to the silent Fiver, he even buried his feet onto the wet dirt. It still didn't even stop Hazel pushing him from the behind, as I was pushed in as well.

"It's alright Fiver and Andrew. I think they're harmless." Hazel assured us.

"Yeah... sure they're." I said sarcastically.

We looked around the burrows to see it was big, Bigwig and Captain Holly followed Cowslip and Strawberry, as Bigwig complimented about Cowslip's Warren. However, not all was the greatest for Fiver, as Hazel and I were still by the entrance.

"There's a winter in this place. A cold that never ends, can you two smell it?" Fiver was suspicious.

Hazel and I sniffed with our noses. "All I could smell is just plan ol' dirt." I said.

"It smells all fine to me." Hazel said to his little brother. "You look tired Fiver. Things will look better in the morning."

"As soon we found Pimpernel, the better we could head back." I said.

"I don't know, Hazel and Andrew." Fiver was unsure. "Dawn feels a long way away."

"How about this, if something's wrong, we'll just met up outside, so we could discuss about it. Only if it's a real emergency." I comforted Fiver with a plan if something goes wrong.

"Very well." Hazel agrees.

* * *

We proceeded on to follow with everybody else, until we arrived the nervous system of the warren. I noticed the rabbits were all about.

"Seems alright... for a big warren that is." I said to Cowslip and Strawberry. Immediately, they became less startled, but more surprised of my presence.

"I would like to thank you." Cowslip tries to thank me.

"For what?" I asked.

"You'll know when you hear it?" he said. I than looked away from Cowslip to look around, as I was still standing where I was. Even looked up at the tree roots, as if they were trying to make a chandelier, unlike _The Honeycomb_ back at the downs. I looked behind me, as I hear a drag, but it was only Hazel trying to gently push Fiver along.

"Like a parent taking their kid somewhere, where their kids don't want to go." I said from my experience, but it was from Fiver not wanting to simply explore or visit the warren, he knew something was wrong with the warren.

"Look at them, Hazel." Fiver whispered. Hazel and I looked at the rabbits where we are, to see rabbits were wondering around. "Their eyes, they're so far away."

"I see healthy, groomed rabbits. What is wrong with you?" Hazel questioned Fiver.

I looked a little deeper into their eyes where I was. "It seems to me they're totally lost it, or they're on."

"Don't even try to make it uncomfortable for Fiver or for everyone in the warren." Hazel lightly scorned me.

"I don't know... they don't look like themselves. I think Fiver may have a point." I followed Fiver's comment.

Fiver than scooted back from us and left himself alone, like a outsider from the group. More than that, he was a little afraid of this warren.

"It's really something, isn't?" Captain Holly spoke.

"Certainly room for us, if we wanted to move in." Bigwig second guessing.

Hazel sniffed again in the air. "They smell outrageously healthy."

Bigwig started to sniff in the air. "Yeah, better than us anyway. They must eat like _El-ahrairah_."

"You think?" I said.

"Oh, we do! You'll see." Strawberry came out of nowhere and spoke.

I couldn't help, but jump a little from his surprise. "Don't you have anything else to do than try to spook people?!"

"Forgive me, sir." Strawberry apologized, with bowing his head.

"It's already, but try to sneak on us again." I said.

"Would you care to see the rest of the warren?" he than offered us a tour to see more of this warren, with the bowing.

"Well, yes I'll be... delighted." Hazel accepted. Strawberry heads out, while Hazel shrugged his shoulders clueless.

"Seems to me he may have a 'fourth quarter'." I said, before following Hazel. Me and Hazel looked back to see Fiver was still at the same place, as he was when he scooted away. His eyes were widened.

"He's alright, Andrew." Hazel assured me, as I was about to see him. I than gave in and followed Hazel.

"He seems to think something's wrong with this place." I whispered to Hazel.

"I don't see a problem." he said.

"I'll tell you more if I need to." I told him. He than nodded his head and we caught up with Strawberry. We stopped by what I thought there were bricks or stones buried.

"It looks man built." Hazel said to Strawberry.

"It is." Strawberry said.

"There's no way that anybody could try to build something here, but left it unmarked." I said. "Unless it was forgotten over time."

"Our builders found it pleasing. So they made it part of our warren." Strawberry added.

"Don't you think it's unusual for a warren intertwined with bricks or stones that man used to or tried to build?" I asked Strawberry.

"Look at this!" Strawberry cut the subject and went somewhere nearby. Hazel and I followed him to find a engraved sculpture of a resemblance of a rabbit.

"What happened there? Another man thing?" Hazel asked.

"Doesn't look like it. Looks more like possible minerals or glass." I guessed.

Strawberry broke into laughter jumped Hazel, but I was scared more when Strawberry hauntingly laughed. "No, it's a shape. We made it!" The laugh made me feel uncomfortable close to Fiver's stage.

"Don't you see! Look at it! It's _El-ahrairah_." Strawberry pointed out at the sculpture. "You must have heard some of those funny old stories."

We looked at it, only Hazel doesn't get it. Me on the other hand, could only see a shape of a rabbit.

"Well yes. They're part of our lives." Hazel answered.

"You still believe? That must be nice."

"Were you to believe about _El-ahrairah_?" I asked Strawberry.

"Although I wish-" Strawberry spoke, before seeing Hazel trying to touch the glassed sculpture. Strawberry prevented Hazel touching. "Mustn't touched, beauty is fragile."

"You mean 'Fra-Gee-Lay'?! You must speak Italian." I said.

"I beg your pardon?" Strawberry questioned.

"I'm sorry." Hazel apologized, before whispering into my ears, while rubbing his paw from Strawberry's gentle slap. "I believe he said 'fragile'."

I chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I knew that."

"Why did you make it then?" Hazel asked Strawberry.

"Because we have time to think and make lovely things." Strawberry answered.

"You basically make shapes to entertain yourself?" I asked.

"That's right. No worries about food or enemies, just time. All the time in the world." he answered again.

"Seems to me you're bored out of your mind." I said.

"No, just do like any rabbit would do to pass the time." he said before hopping off. Hazel and I continued to look at the sculpture of a resemblance to a rabbit.

"Don't we think we should ask for Pimpernel's whereabouts?" I asked Hazel.

"We'll find him one way or another." Hazel assured me with a pat on my back. We than started to follow Strawberry back, where we spotted Captain Holly and Bigwig were eating some _Flayrah_ from this warren.

"Listen to that rain and not a drop in here." Captain Holly spoke to Bigwig.

"Rather enjoying things back at Watership Down." Bigwig said and thought about this warren is good place to live. "You know Holly, I think this is the place for us."

"Can I fetch you anything else good friends?" Cowslip came and offered to them. "Cabbage, beetroots, more tu-"

"I never thought I'd say this, but no thanks, I'm stuffed." Captain Holly politely refuses after eating cabbage leafs.

"Good idea keeping _flayrah_ on hand." Bigwig commended, as Cowslip gently smiles. "But sir, how did you get it all down here and where did they come from, though?"

"Tomorrow, you'll see." Cowslip told him, as he refuses to tell where the food came from until the next day. "Tomorrow." he has spoken, before he hopped off even passing by Fiver.

"Is everything been alright?" I asked.

"Been stuffing myself with some _flayrah_ , thank you." Captain Holly smiled. I looked to see Bigwig was enjoying his meal, as Fiver came to us.

"Fiver. I hardly see you much when we got here. Are you alright?" I asked Fiver.

"I'm fine, but let's get out now." Fiver said.

Even though I didn't fully grasp the full reason, but to Bigwig after he swallowed his cabbage. "Now? In the rain? _Flayrah_ coming out of our ears, not likely."

"It's raining hard outside too." Captain Holly added.

Fiver continued to look around, until he looked up at the ceiling of roots above, he began to have a vision. _The ceiling is made of bones. Their hearts are hard as stones_.

"I have enough of your total for one night." Bigwig had fed up with Fiver's visions for one day.

"What do you mean 'ceiling made of bones'? They seemed lightly generous enough, but oddly though." I said.

"You're not going to believe me?" Fiver became worried that I had enough too like Bigwig.

"No, that's not it. I'm just trying to figure out-"

"Friends!" Cowslip interrupted. Our attention was on Cowslip, as he's making an announcement to us. "Attend. We have an entertainment."

"Entertainment? What is it?" I asked.

"Rhythms my boy. Rhythms of Silverweed for your ears." Cowslip answered.

"Like a sermon or a reciting rhythms of poetry? That's very not much I heard of rabbits reciting, except story-telling." I said.

"We do recite of poetry, but it was more of regarding the stories of _El-ahrairah_." Captain Holly explained.

"That Cowslips got away with words isn't he." Bigwig said, as Captain Holly nodded with slight agreement. I could only say that Cowslip maybe slightly odd or crazy. At least to say he wasn't senile. We than went over to their nervous system. I saw Cowslip with a light-gray colored rabbit, assuming to be Silverweed. Unlike Cowslip, Silverweed had light green eyes, not like fully green as of snake eyes and he was skinny. At a distance, I saw Hazel and Strawberry arrived, as they're also attending this entertainment.

"I hope it doesn't mean that we could watch Netflix or Hulu after this entertainment." I said.

"Netflix? Hulu?" Bigwig questioned.

"They're entertainment companies that they stream movies and TV shows that 'man' watches." I explained.

Bigwig nodded and paid his attention to Silverweed. I looked back to Fiver's eyes were widen, possibly paranoid or like he was trying to resist of being possessed.

" _Frith_ lies, in the evening sky." Silverweed spoke. Everyone immediately paid all of their attention to him. "The clouds are red, about him."

I slowly and slightly moved back towards Fiver and sat next to him. "Some entertainment this is or I don't think it is at all."

"Silverweed. He smells like autumn, like dead leaves." Fiver spoke, as Hazel came towards us.

"Everything alright?" Hazel asked.

"I don't know. It seems to me that Fiver is feeling spooked enough. And I don't know or could tell by far that it is entertainment." I said to him.

"I AM HERE, Lord _Frith!_ Running through the long grass. Oh, take me with you." Silverweed spoke as he was some what of a ancient story-tellers.

"It's all wrong." Fiver disproves of Silverweed's rhythms.

"I'm starting to get that feeling too." I said, as I came into a suspension about Silverweed and possibly the whole warren itself.

"TO THE HEART of light! In silence. But I'm ready to give you my breath, my life." Silverweed chanted again. "The shining circle of the shining!"

"The shining circle of the shining? Does he mean a wire or a snare?" I thought to myself without wanting to create a scene in front of everybody.

"Let me out! Now!" Fiver shouted and bumped into me, only to get up and hop away as fast as a jackrabbit.

"Fiver wait!" I followed him.

"Fiver, stop!" Hazel shouted for him.

I hurried off to follow, only to be stopped as Strawberry stared at me, along with the rest of the rabbits of Cowslip's Warren. "Sorry if we ruined the 'so called entertainment'. I probably would give it a C-." I than hurried off to pursue Fiver.

* * *

After leaving the warren, the rain continued to pour down, but no lighting or thunder occurred, after when it first rained. I looked around nearby to see if Fiver could somewhere be around here.

"Where's Fiver?" Hazel asked.

"I'm looking for him too, but I lost him." I answered regretfully fearing that he may wandered further away from here.

"I'll give him something for ruining my night." Bigwig makes a threat.

"Don't make threats on Fiver! I'm sure he may feel bad of enough already or he's frightened." I reasoned.

Hazel continued to look until he saw a rabbit hiding next to the tree. "There he is."

We than followed Hazel to see Fiver was distancing himself away from the warren.

"Are you alright, Fiver? You seemed to be frightened." I tried to comfort.

"Right Fiver, what's the game?" Bigwig questioned him.

"There's sadness and evil in that place. Don't you feel it Hazel?" Fiver answered and asked his older brother.

"Are you coming back inside?" Hazel asked.

"You didn't even answer his question." I said.

"That's enough, Andrew!" he scorned. He seemed to be out of his place to realize that his brother was trying to ask him something important. "Now Fiver, are you coming back inside."

"No, it's safer out here." Fiver rested his case.

"Alright, that's up to you." Hazel accepts his brother's decision. "He won't stay out in this weather." he said to Bigwig, as they headed back inside.

I couldn't believe that Hazel and Bigwig would leave him out like this. Before I looking back towards Fiver, they were already inside.

"You should go back inside too. If that's what you want." Fiver sadly mopped.

I looked around and still see the rain continued to pour, even the coldness cool around us. "No, I won't leave you."

Fiver was surprised to hear what I said. I started to unstrap myself from my backpack and unpack some blankets, a sleeping bag, and a pillow. Setting the pillow on the tree, put myself into a sleeping bag and laid some layers of blankets over him.

"Here you go, if you're to sleep out in the rain, at least you should be warm." I said.

"That's not necessary, but thank you." Fiver tries to refuse the blankets.

"Better than safe and sorry." I said. Because I was worried that too much rain on him could get him sick. I closed up my bag and scooted closer to Fiver. "Are feeling any more cold?"

"I'm not cold. The coldness I feel is about this warren." Fiver said.

"I know what you mean." I agreed.

"You felt it too?"

"I sense something is working there, but I fear that it maybe a lifestyle of a cult or a culprit." I followed.

"It'll be best we should leave tomorrow." Fiver suggested.

"We can't leave Hazel, Bigwig, Captain Holly, even if Pimpernel would be here."

"You're not going to find him." Fiver said.

I was shocked and surprised from Fiver's acceptance of this warren. "What do you mean? If he's alive here, he should be around."

"He's gone." Fiver started to shake in fear or from the cold.

"Let's worry about this tomorrow. You got to get some rest." I said.

Fiver shook his head. "You're right, we need our sleep at least until tomorrow."

"Good night Fiver." I said.

"Good night Andrew, and thank you." Fiver thanked me.

I than put on some lullaby music of Dick Van Dyke from _Chitty Chitty Bang Bang_.

 _A gentle breeze from Hushabye Mountain_  
 _Softly blows for lullaby bay._  
 _It fills the sails of boats that are waiting-_  
 _Waiting to sail your worries away._  
 _It isn't far to Hushabye Mountain_  
 _And your boat waits down by the key._  
 _The winds of night so softly are sighing-_  
 _Soon they will fly your troubles to sea._  
 _So close your eyes on Hushabye Mountain._  
 _Wave good-bye to cares of the day._  
 _And watch your boat from Hushabye Mountain_  
 _Sail far away from lullaby bay._

"Thank you Andrew, I needed that." Fiver smiled before falling asleep.

"You're welcome Fiver." I said with a warm smile, before we rested our heads on the pillow and we kept close to keep ourselves warm for the night.

 _To Be Continued..._


	9. Episode 3: The Easy Life Part 3

The Easy Life Part 3

After a long rainy night, I woke up my eyes to see the clear skies came again and noticed that Fiver and I were outside all night. Fiver was still asleep and I could say that he was brave enough to stay outside for one night, when he didn't feel safe or comfortable to be in Cowslip's Warren in another minute. Every looked peaceful, until a fox came out of no where.

"Fiver, wake up." I gently shook him.

He lightly opened his eyes and he was half asleep. "Is it morning?"

"Yes, but I don't think we're alone." I warned him. The fox snarled and growled that got both of our attentions. We noticed the fox was inspecting the warren's entrance.

"Just don't move a muscle." I instructed Fiver. He was watching the fox's move. We than heard a cock of a firearm was loaded. It came from a hunter, who was hiding in the bushes without revealing himself to the fox. The huntsman aimed his rifle and fired at the fox. It collapsed after the first impact of a bullet struck at it's chest. I never fully witness a human being in first person to kill an animal. The huntsman than took the dead fox and put it in a sack bag. He than seconds later toss some carrots, beets, cabbages, and turnips.

"So that's where they get their food." I figured out where Cowslip's warren got their food.

"Still... it's not safe to say at the least. Evil is still lingers here." Fiver said.

I nodded. "I suppose without a doubt that this warren is brainwashed."

"We need to tell them before it's too late." Fiver suggests.

"Why before too late?" I asked.

"One of us would be the victim from a dream I had." Fiver visioned.

"Who?"

"I don't know, but it'll be one of us." Fiver confirmed.

"Let's just be cautious and keep a look out for your brother, Bigwig, and Holly." I suggested, as Fiver nodded. We than lie back on the layer of blankets and tried to fall back asleep.

* * *

Minutes after experiencing a death of a fox, we fell back asleep only to be waken by someone's voice, whom we know.

"Fiver, Andrew! I can't believe you two stayed up here all night. Are you two alright?" we opened our eyes to see the voice belonged to Hazel.

"Oh, like you care." I was still upset from last night.

Hazel was surprised that I remembered. "Look Andrew, I know how I responded to the both of you was wrong. I wanted to apologize from what I said and didn't answer Fiver."

I sighed, however I couldn't be mad at him so long, because he sounded sincere from his apology. "It's alright, I forgive you."

Hazel lightly smiled, however faded from worrying about us and why we stayed out.

"Someone had to stand watch." Fiver answered to Hazel.

"For what?" Hazel asked.

"I don't know. But it's here, all around us. Please let's go home." Fiver said.

"We also suspect that Cowslip and his warren are cults. Their rhythms from yesterday was unlike your beliefs and even Fiver knows better." I explained further.

Hazel was unsure from the situation that surrounds us, however he didn't suspect or know anything about the possibility. Before he could try to say anything else, he was being called by Bigwig.

"We're off to get _flayrah_." Bigwig called out.

"Look Fiver and Andrew, we haven't found Pimpernel yet. We can't leave." Hazel said.

"You won't found him. He's gone." Fiver said to Hazel, as his older brother was about to join Bigwig and the others to have some breakfast. I still couldn't believe that Fiver recalled that Pimpernel was gone and I didn't know how to say it or wanting to tell Hazel the truth. He stopped for a moment to look back at us and saw me being silent.

"Are you hungry, Andrew?" he asked.

I looked to see that he waited before he went along, however I didn't want to leave Fiver by himself. "No, I'm alright thank you."

"You sure?"

I nodded for assurance, than he hopped away.

"There's nothing wrong for you to join them." Fiver said.

"I know. I just didn't want to, or didn't want to leave you." I said. I started to search through my bag to see, if I have any food since the hike, before coming to Watership Down. Luckily, I found some saltine crackers, salami, and cheese whiz spray.

"I feel bad for myself eating them for breakfast, but here goes nothing." I said to myself. I opened a bag of crackers, slice a piece of salami to put on the crackers, and spray some cheese, before taking a bite. "Doesn't taste good for a morning breakfast."

"What's that you're eating?" Fiver asked.

"Cheese and crackers." I answered.

"Cheese and crackers?" Fiver never heard of a food or snack like that before.

I chuckled. "It's saltine crackers with salami and cheese, it's almost like a sandwich."

"Is that what 'man' eat?" Fiver asked.

"Not always like this, but some do eat this kind of food. Want to try?" I than offered.

"I'm not too sure about the 'salami and cheese'." Fiver knew the smell right it way that it wasn't his food.

"How about just the cracker?" I than offered him just the cracker, as I handed him a cracker. He sniffed it, even though he was unsure. However, it didn't stop him as his stomach growled for his hunger. He took a nib out of the cracker and taking a small bite. As he chewed, it was crunchy from the way Fiver was chewing it, before he felt that something wasn't good that he spitted out.

"What's wrong?" I asked, as I thought he might have taste something that he probably shouldn't eat.

"The cracker. It's poisoned." Fiver spitted out, as I saw the tiny particles of salt.

"Oh, I almost forgot, those crackers were saltine. I'm sorry." I apologized for not telling him.

"That's alright." Fiver accepted. I grabbed a bowl and a bottle of water, than I poured it.

"Maybe the water could remove the taste." I suggested.

Fiver started to drink the water from the bowl, until he was better. "I never tasted a cracker before, now I do."

I smiled, as I looked for something else in the bag that it could be rabbit qualified food. "How about a apple?"

"Oh yes please." he accepted his offer. I grabbed two apples one for myself and for Fiver. We chewed down on those apples and the taste of it's juice thirst our stomachs of their sweetness.

"Andrew, can I ask you something?" Fiver spoke.

"Go ahead, shoot." I said.

"Do you always be by yourself most of the time? he asked.

I finished my apple. "Yes and no, why do you ask?"

"Most times since we came to Watership Down, you somewhat distance yourself at some times and the other times you don't. Why's that?" Fiver wanted to know.

I started to clean up the mess and pack. "Well, let's just say sometimes I have friends, but I don't always take part. Most times I prefer to be alone."

"How come?"

"I don't know, it's like that for myself." I said.

Fiver wanted to know more about me. "Something happened before you came?"

I remained quiet, because I didn't want to bring the affairs and trails in life to have them worry. "No. I took time off from work to relax and journey here."

"It's alright you can tell me or not. You have things you don't want to say, don't worry about it." Fiver smiled warmly.

"Thank you." I thanked. "I'll tell you when it's a better time." We than sat back on the tree and watched the scattered clouds passing by the skies.

* * *

Later, Hazel and Bigwig came back from their breakfast, Hazel brought back a carrot for Fiver.

"Hopefully, you two had a good breakfast." I said to them.

"It's alright, thank you." Hazel thanked, as he dropped a carrot next to Fiver and turned to him. "They've got piles of it, have some."

"No! It's all wrong! The food, this place, those rabbits!" Fiver exclaimed, as he believed the evil lingers there.

"Is he still moaning?" Bigwig questioned.

"I'm not!" Fiver exclaimed. "There's evil here and it's all around us."

"Oh, I got a funny feeling on my toe and I stand on your head." Bigwig mocked.

"Oh lookie here, Bigwig is making a impersonation! A Private Joker! Wow, hey everybody, Bigwig is Private Joker, want to here some of his jokes and impersonations. Wow, he could more of a jackass than a jerk!" I stood up to him, as I looked around the bushes. Fiver managed to kept himself in a straight face. Captain Holly came passing by me.

"Anything on Pimpernel?" I asked Captain Holly.

"I've looked everywhere for Pimpernel. Not a sniff of him and nobody is telling me where he's gone to." he informed us.

"That is strange. Cowslip wouldn't answer my questions either." Hazel mentioned.

"Why do you say that?" I asked him, as I looking through the bushes.

"I don't know, he just wouldn't say." he said. I spotted a circular gap on a bush and it shined.

"A snare." I whispered myself.

"Oh no. Not you two. Look, Cowslip has invited me to stay here, and by _Frith_ I think I will." Bigwig said, before he hopped past me.

* * *

"Bigwig, DON'T!" I shouted out to try to warn him. He went through the bush and I heard a twinging sound with a thump. Bigwig than screamed out in pain.

"Oh no! I tried to warn him." I went through the bush and Hazel with everybody else followed. After we went through the bush, we gasped, as we see Bigwig being trapped in a snare.

"Hazel, help me!" Bigwig begged, as the snare tightens around his neck. "Help... help me."

"Don't worry, Bigwig! Just don't move, you're in a snare trap, it'll tighten more if you tried to struggle." I instructed him. He than remained still, he started to choke from too much of the struggle he has done. I grabbed my switchblade and removed my bag, as Hazel tries to bite the wire and it didn't do any good.

"I can't bite through. Holly run to the warren, bring anyone everyone you could find." Hazel instructed Captain Holly. Without hesitation, Captain Holly leaped through the bushes and tried to get help. "We'll get you out Bigwig, help is coming, hold on."

Fiver hopped over and tried to bite the wire. "Fiver!" He stopped from Hazel.

"That's no good. The pegs stuck in the ground." Hazel spoke.

"I got an idea!" I shouted. I had my switchblade ready and started to try to cut through the wire.

"Andrew, it won't work!" Hazel said.

"It could and I'll try. But what you guys could do is follow the wire that leads to a peg or a nail. You might have to dig it out." I instructed them.

"Andrew's right, Hazel. Like a carrot!" Fiver said and went over to the peg and started to dig.

"Yes! Dig! We've got to dig out the peg! Hang on Bigwig!" Hazel exclaimed, as he joined Fiver digging. I continued to cut the wire and it did very little good.

"You're right! It get's harder, the more I tried to cut, the rope is hard." I complained.

"Just keep trying, Andrew! You can do this, we trust you!" Hazel assured me.

I looked back at Bigwig and he was still chocking and gasping for air. I nodded my head firm and continued to cut the wire. Hazel and Fiver finished digging, but it still wasn't out, as Hazel tried to remove the peg from the ground. I looked back and began to cut harder.

"Come on, you son of a gun. Cut!" I shouted. The wire started to become loose and I successfully cut the wire, separating from Bigwig and the peg. "I got it! The wire is cut!"

Hazel and Fiver looked back and saw the wire is separated. "Thank _Frith_. Bigwig you're free, you're loose."

"You hear, your leader. You're good Bigwig." I said to him, unfortunately he wasn't moving at all. Captain Holly came back, just himself with no help.

"Where is everyone?" Hazel asked him.

"They wouldn't come." Captain Holly regretfully said.

Hazel hopped towards Bigwig. "Bigwig?"

Bigwig was still on the ground, as Hazel and I got close to him.

"He isn't breathing." Hazel sadly said.

"We're too late." Captain Holly said.

"Not Bigwig, what should we do without him?" Fiver said.

 _Our Frith, our hearts have joined the thousand, my friend has stopped running today_. Hazel recited some sort of prayer that could involve the dead.

I leaned over to Bigwig, possibly presumed dead, I placed my fingers onto his chest and feel little beat of his heart. "He's not dead yet."

"I beg your pardon?" Hazel questioned.

"I could revive him, there's still time. Fiver, in my bag is a first-aid kit, which is a box with a red cross sign. Grab for me please!" I instructed Fiver. He hopped over to my bag and tries to search through it.

"What on _Frith's_ name are you doing, boy?!" Captain Holly questions me.

"I still feel little bit of his pulse left, despite of him not breathing. I could revive him with a CPR." I explained.

"CPR?!" Hazel and Captain Holly said.

"Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. I haven't done this before, except being taught on how to do on a dummy long ago from my mother and step-father teaching me and my siblings how to do. If I could do this right, Bigwig would be safe." I explained to them for a revive attempt.

Fiver drags the first-aid kit. "What is it for?"

I managed to grab, just as soon I positioned Bigwig facing up towards the sky, also removing the snare around his neck. "You'll see, trust me." I opened a small mouth shield that was perfect enough to fit it inside his mouth without putting much.

"Now, I positioned Bigwig's head back to clear his air passage. Now, it's mouth to mouth." I said to myself.

The rabbits were unsure what I was doing, but they continued to watch to see if there's hope. I gently blow some air into Bigwig's mouth and started to gently press my hands on his chest, in effort to have his heart beat. The first time I tried, I failed. I continued to do another CPR again and again with no success. I decided to do it for the fourth time.

"Please God, please revive Bigwig, he's my friend." I said a little prayer for strength and guidance from God. I repeated the mouth to mouth and the chest pressing. "One of you guys, check his pulse or any sign of breathing."

Hazel leaned over to Bigwig and feels nothing. "Nothing at all, not single breath."

"Come on, Bigwig! Don't die on us now!" I begged. I continued for the fifth time, until suddenly he opened his eyes and started to cough.

"YOU'RE ALIVE!" I praised.

"BIGWIG!" the rabbits exclaimed.

"You're alright, thank _Frith_." Captain Holly praised.

"Thank God, you're alright. We thought we lost you." I praised for the miracle and attempting to speak to Bigwig. He was gasping for air from the strangulation.

"I'll... kill them all." Bigwig curses.

"Don't try to put on vengeance, it won't work." I warned him.

"What happened?" Bigwig asked.

"You were caught in a snare. We managed to get you out, but you stopped running." Captain Holly explained.

"If it wasn't for Andrew's sake and rescue, you would possibly be dead." Fiver praised me for saving Bigwig's life.

Bigwig looked at me. "Andrew... thank you... thank you for saving my life. I now owe you mine."

"You don't need to own nothing. Hazel, Fiver, and Captain Holly helped too." I gave credit to them as well for saving his life.

"No. It's you Andrew. You revived him. We can't thank you enough." Fiver said.

"We're forever grateful." Hazel said.

"And own you debt." Captain Holly added.

I nodded to accept.

"They're everywhere! Shining Wires, Cowslip knows about them! They all do!" Fiver exclaimed.

"The man would come soon. They would take- Bigwig!" Strawberry spoke until he realized that Bigwig is alive and freed from the Shining Wire.

 _To Be Continued..._


	10. Episode 3: The Easy Life Part 4

The Easy Life Part 4

Strawberry recognized that immediately after he saw Bigwig alive. "How... how did you survive The Shining Wire?"

We all looked at Strawberry, Bigwig's hot little flame began to grow without attempting to hop over there and bite the ears off of Strawberry.

"If you something to say about this or have any acknowledgement of those snares all around, you better explain yourself... right now." I interrogated.

"And why didn't you and Cowslip come?! You couldn't have helped!" Captain Holly exclaimed.

"The man feeds us. Protects us from the fox, the badger. There's only one thing to fear. Just one." Strawberry explained.

"There's always that one fear. The fear itself." I said to him.

Fiver shook, as he started to remember what he had heard the rhythms from last night. "That's why they danced, make shapes, and the poetry. To forget that fear and hide from the truth."

"Well, it'll be exposed soon enough Fiver." I assured him.

Hazel hopped over towards Captain Holly and was upset at Strawberry. "You knew about The Shining Wires and you didn't warn us!"

"The wire got Pimpernal. He stopped running hasn't he?" Captain Holly began to realize that Pimpernel is gone.

"No. That can't be true." Bigwig couldn't believe it. "And if Cowslip is responsible, he'll be sorry."

"When a rabbit is gone, we never speak his name again." Strawberry guiltily answered.

"Why didn't you warn us?!" Hazel questioned.

"If the wire took you, we'd live one day longer." Strawberry answered.

Bigwig hopped over to Strawberry and raised his paw, as he was about to strike him. Strawberry closed his eyes for inevitable. Bigwig looked back to see the rabbits' expressions on their face to see what would he do. He than looked at me and saw me shaking my head for him 'not to do this'. He than looked back at Strawberry and lowered his paw to the ground.

"You're not worth it. I could only say that I'm alive. We all are." Bigwig speared Strawberry from his wrath. Bigwig than turned back towards us. "Now, on your feet lads! We have a score to settle!"

"About time too." I agreed.

* * *

Bigwig let out a battle cry roar, as Cowslip and his rabbits were outside of their warren. There, Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, Captain Holly, and myself tagged together, as Strawberry was with us.

"Go away, unless you what fight. Hmmm? Hmmm? Hmmm?" Cowslip warned us.

"You talking to us?" I questioned Cowslip.

"Yes I am." he answered.

"Are you talking to us?" I repeated.

"I won't say it again."

I chuckled that Cowslip's empty threat means nothing, but cowardliness. I looked back at Bigwig. "Bigwig, unless you want to do the honors?"

He smiled. "I'll be gladly." He than looked back Cowslip.

"Are you going to fight or not?!" Cowslip threatened us again with a warning.

"You don't know how." Bigwig taunted, as he hops towards him. "You forgotten all the tricks and cunning _El-ahrairah_ gave us!"

"Round 1... FIGHT!" I shouted.

Cowslips tries to tackle Bigwig, but Bigwig was more cleaver and a bit fast to think on his feet from combat experience. He than tackled Cowslip, having him knocked onto the ground and Cowslip's rabbits fall back inside.

"Bigwig wins... Flawless Victory." I said.

"It wasn't much of a fight, Andrew." Fiver told me.

I looked and realized that Cowslip came back on his feet and began to step back from Bigwig and Hazel. "Oh come on, at least it was something to see." I said, as I walked towards Hazel and Bigwig.

"Leave this place. You need the freedom in the hills." Hazel convinces Cowslip.

"Hazel's right. You brainwashing everybody would gain no cause, not even a gain for your _El-ahrairah_ and _Frith_." I tried to help.

"Come with us. You can relearn the stories of _El-ahrairah_." Hazel added.

Cowslip lets out a evil smirking smile like Norman Bates from _Psycho_. " _El-ahrairah_ is a lie. Man takes care of us. We don't want to leave and wanting your freedom."

"You're a fool! You're only endangering yourself and your warren. A hunter would you at a certain point in time." I warned Cowslip.

"The snares will get you, if you don't leave." Hazel added. "You don't have to surrender to the Shining Wire."

Cowslip began to laugh. "It won't get me! Maybe others, but never me!" He than laughed again evilly.

"May God have mercy on your soul." I shockingly said, as Cowslip remains in The Warren of Shining Wires, The Warren of Snares... even The Warren of Death.

"Run! We have to get away from here!" Hazel commanded us.

"You don't have tell us twice." I said, as we hurried away from this cult-hellish place.

"Stay in the open! Stay away from cover, that's where the wires are!" Bigwig instructed us.

I looked back to see Strawberry was still standing there. "What about Strawberry?!"

"Just keep going lad! Don't look back!" Bigwig shouted. I looked back ahead to keep up with Hazel and the rest of the bucks.

* * *

After running away for a few minutes, Bigwig started to feel tired and needed to stop for air.

"Bigwig! We need to stop!" I yelled. We than stopped to have Bigwig catch some breaths. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I just need to catch my breath" Bigwig said, as he was breathing hard.

"Just take slow breaths like do, slow breathing down with slow breaths." I suggested. Bigwig began to take slow breaths one at a time.

"Take your time, Bigwig. We'll move on when you're stronger." Hazel assured him.

I placed my hand on Bigwig's shoulder. "You know Fiver and Andrew, the trouble of being _Owsla_ is well tended to think you're all right all the time." He started to catch on his breathing. "I should have listen to the both of you."

"We all should have listened." Captain Holly agrees, as Fiver smiled and forgave everyone.

Hazel nodded, suddenly he started to sniff out and hear someone close by.

"What is it?" I asked.

"A rabbit is not far from here." he said.

I remain close to scout what's around us. I than spotted a orange rabbit coming towards our path from our behind. "It's Strawberry." I announced. We than saw him taking some breaths, as almost he was wandering around aimlessly.

"Take me with you." Strawberry begs.

"You lied to us." Bigwig said with an angry tone and turned away from him. "Why should we do anything for you?!"

"I know... I'm sorry that I lied to you. Please let me come." Strawberry apologized.

"We have to work hard to survive." Hazel told him.

"He's right. I even have a harder life as well like they do. Them being on the hills and me trying to find my way home and work hard to get where I'm going." I added.

Strawberry began to realize I'm human and became shocked. "You're 'man'? You live in the hills too?"

"It's a long story short, but I have to remain here, until I find my way home. You could always help us to help you." I said.

"Andrew, don't you even think about it." Bigwig said.

"Do you want to forgive or be a angry, unforgiving narcissist?" I asked him. Bigwig went silent and started to think.

"There is no life in The Warren of Shining Wires. Please, I beg of you?!" Strawberry begged again.

Hazel and the group looked at each other for making a decision to leave Strawberry or have him come along.

We than looked at Captain Holly, as he lightly smiled. "Hmmm..." As for Fiver and Bigwig... "Hmmmm..."

Than they looked at me, than I look back at Strawberry, as I looked into his eyes and his heart. "Want a job?"

Strawberry became confused. "I'm sorry?"

I chuckled. "I'm just simply kidding. I don't why not. More the merrier, as I say." I said.

Hazel sighed deeply with deep breath. "You can come with us." Strawberry became relieved that he was able to join us, but he didn't go too excited, but more relieved to leave his old uncleaned life.

"Come along than. Let's go home." Bigwig said.

* * *

After a longest journey through the woods, we than arrived back to Watership Down, with a surprise to see Kehaar in the air soaring.

"Keeyaaaaa!" Kehaar shouted for joy. "Kehaar all better now! Thank you!"

"That's wonderful and you're most welcome! I told you the rest of your wings is what it needs to heal!" I shouted.

"Good for you Kehaar! Now you can get your own worms." Hazel said.

Kehaar went on and decided to not wanting to eat worms again, as he wants to go back on eating fishes again. I looked back to see Strawberry was happy to say that he's fully at a home.

"As soon you get resettled and taught, you'll be right as rain." I said to him.

"Why did you forgave me?" he asked.

I took a minute to think, until I looked back at him and smiled. "Who wouldn't. I been taught and raised to forgive and that's the key importance."

He smiled with a nod. After our chat, everyone saw Dandelion, Pipkin, and Hawkbit on top of the hill and spotted us.

"Well, we hope you had a jolly time. Nice time gallivanting around the country." Dandelion greeted us.

"Because we haven't." Pipkin continued.

"We're soaked and the burrow collapsed. Blackberry won't gave us a moment's rest." Hawkbit added.

Hazel chuckled. "Home Sweet Home."

"You bet... hopefully I would get to my 'Home Sweet Home' soon." I said.

"Why are you trying to get?" Strawberry asked.

"Because I woke up in this world after being bonked on the head from a tall branch." I said.

Strawberry couldn't help laugh, as everyone else laughed.

"How's that funny?" I questioned.

"You have to look back and think about how you got into that situation and just laugh at it." Bigwig said while laughing.

I began to laugh a bit. "Well... come to think of it. It does seem funny, when I look back and think about it." I said and joined the laughing group of rabbits.

* * *

In the evening, everyone were pretty much ready for bed, except myself. I was on my phone browsing on YouTube. I heard a hop and came to notice it was Bigwig.

"Andrew."

I paused a video I was watching to give him the attention. "Bigwig, are you feeling better?"

"I'm and thank you." he thanked.

"That's good. At least we're home and you'll probably go back to being yourself again." I said.

He sighed gently. "True, but I have to say, how I treated you and Fiver since we came and back in Cowslip's, was wrong. I wanted to own you both an apology."

I smiled. "Don't worry about it. Maybe if you said to Fiver, he may feel bit better or say like I just said."

"He does forgive quickly, unlike everybody else sometimes." Bigwig added.

"Forgiveness is not always easy, but you have to no matter what or you'll regret it." I said.

He nodded. "Any luck finding your way back?"

I sighed and felt disappointed on myself.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up." he apologized.

"No don't be. I know by now my family and co-workers are probably worried about me by now." I assured him.

"Either way, we'll still try our best to get you home." he said.

"Would I or would we. I probably be stuck here and never be able to find my back." I doubt.

"Oh here now, don't talk like that." he hopped over and patted me on the shoulder. "No matter what, even when an _Owsla_ was in a difficult situation, they think on their feet and be able to solve it."

"Thanks Bigwig." I thanked him.

"Anytime lad." he said with a smile and noticed my phone. "What are you doing?"

I grabbed my phone and unlocked it, as he started to look at the screen. "Mad TV's sketch."

"What's Mad TV?" he asked.

"It's a TV show that makes parodies or does comedy sketches. I always find this one funny and the only one." I answered.

"What's this about?"

"An employee was being evaluated for her work performance by her boss, until she took it deep." I explained.

"Let's see." he wanted to watch it, so I pressed play and we watched the sketch. Every parts when the woman freaks out, as her boss tries to explain that it was small error, until she started to destroy his desk resulting her termination. I couldn't even help, but laugh, as Bigwig didn't even understand. However, towards the end of the sketch that has three different endings, he couldn't help laugh, as I laughed also.

"Does man always make fool of themselves?" Bigwig chuckled.

I continued to laugh, even after the sketch was over. "That's comedy. People make jokes that make people laugh, I'm sure you rabbits does some jokes that result some humor for the good."

"We do sometimes." he said. "Every time or something happens to _elil_ try to catch us, they would end up being tumbled from a bush or inside a log."

"Really?"

"Too right. Before we met you and arrived at Watership Down, you remembered the dog right?" he asked.

"Yes, that's where we first met." I remembered.

"Before the dog followed us to the crossing, Hazel made a clever trick that I followed his instruction. We tricked the dog, by making him go inside the log until he was fully inside, we than pushed the log and it went downhill and hit into a tree. The dog luckily survived, but he went dizzy all round, as he shook his muzzle having drool and spit on the grass, even on the broken log."

I giggled. "That was a clever trick."

"It was indeed." he said, before he yawned. "Well, I suppose you get some sleep, we had a long day today."

"We all did, mostly you." I agreed.

"Hopefully, you don't get yourself into a snare situation like I have." Bigwig wanted me to be safe.

"Thank you and I won't." I promised and we both smiled back.

"You even got Hazel and Fiver. You three seemed to get along very well." he added.

"We do. Even you." I said.

"Right. Goodnight chap." he hopped away.

"Goodnight Bigwig." I said, as I yawned and fall asleep in my sleeping bag with my pillow and blankets.

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Note: Mad TV Sketch called Corporate Boss Gives Employee Evaluation, watch it on YouTube it's hilarious and it brought back the childhood memories I had watching it on a VHS tape. Also, there's more to come Stay Tuned...


	11. Episode 4: Strawberry Fayre Part 1

Strawberry Fayre Part 1

 _Well I was rollin' wheels and shiftin' gears_  
 _'Round that Jersey Turnpike_  
 _When Barney stopped me with his gun_  
 _Ten minutes after midnight_  
 _Said sir you broke the limit in this rusty ol' truck_  
 _I don't know about that accent son_  
 _Just where did you come from_

 _I said where I come from_  
 _It's cornbread and chicken_  
 _Where I come from a lotta front porch sittin'_  
 _Where I come from, tryin' to make a livin'_  
 _And workin' hard to get to heaven_  
 _Where I come from_

I was singing to a song from my phone, while helping along side Hazel, Fiver, and Blackberry digging new burrows for the warren. While I was digging, I couldn't help, but danced to the beat and rhythm, every time I scoop up each dirt. They stopped what they were doing, as I danced while working, having me stop when I turned around to see them.

"What?"

"Do you always listen to... 'music' while working?" Hazel asked.

"If I was at work no, but if I was at home and doing work around the house normally I would. It simply helps me to keep proactive while doing it." I explained.

"It's reasonable, Andrew." Blackberry smiled. Her smiled than faded, as we still have more work to do. "We could use Bigwig and the rest of the rabbits to help us dig."

"And where's Strawberry?" Fiver wondered.

"I assume that he's resting." Hazel assumed.

"How long has it been since he came? I'm sure he's here long enough that he could join the helping hand." I added.

"I'll go see to it when we're ready for a break." he said.

We all nodded, as we got back to work. My phone stopped playing music, as my phone started to ring. The rabbits became alarmed from the sound.

"What is that?" Hazel asked.

"It's my phone's ringtone. Someone is trying to call me." I stopped digging and picked up my phone to answer the call, as the rabbits stopped digging. "Hello."

"Where have you been?! You haven't showed for work over two weeks!" the other end was management. I couldn't believe it was been longer than that since I came to Watership Down.

"I'm sorry, but it's a long story and you may think it's silly, but me and Walter got lost during our time off and we separated ourselves to find our tour group. I than got knocked on the head from a falling branch and now I'm currently in a world of rabbits." I explained and knew that they wouldn't believe me.

Even the rabbits scratched their heads to wonder who was on the other end of the phone and who I was talking to.

"It doesn't matter. Unfortunately, we have to do this, but we have to let you go." management said on the other end of the phone.

"You can't be serious! I'm trying to find my way home and Walter left me. I also worked harder and did what I was supposed to do." I pleaded.

"I'm sorry, if you can't show, we have to let you go, until then I'm sorry. You're fired." the call ended, as I was fired almost like from _The Apprentice_.

I couldn't believe that I was gone for very long that I had to stop digging and accept the fact that I wouldn't be able to return home, as I hoped before until now.

"Who was that?" Blackberry asked.

"Work. I have been let go." I said, as I sat back on the dirt that I can't find another job to make ends meet and worst than that, I wouldn't be able to go home.

"Don't worry. Even if you don't we'll look after you and you're always welcome here." Hazel offered me the choice.

"It will be interesting to have our the first 'man' to live among us." Blackberry agreed.

"Like Andrew said, 'more the merrier.'" Fiver recalled what I have always said to new comers like Kehaar, Hannah, and Strawberry.

"Thanks guys." I thanked them. "Even though, if there is a way to get home, I'll be on my best guard for it."

"We're always here if you need help." Hazel added, as Fiver and Blackberry nodded their heads. "Now, let's go see what Strawberry is up to."

"Sure." I decided to go along.

"We'll take our break for now." Blackberry announced.

* * *

I followed Hazel through a tunnel, where we came out through another entrance to the warren. We than saw Strawberry was lying on the grass, as if he was getting his sun daze on.

"Looks like someone is getting a sun daze." I said.

"What's a sun daze?" Hazel asked.

"It's regarding to a state of mind or relaxation, usually on Sundays. In other means, he's relaxed." I said.

Hazel nodded and we came towards the relaxed Strawberry. He was asleep on the soft grass. Hazel shook himself because he was covered in dirt, accidentally spreading it on me, but I was covered in dirt anyway because we both have been digging. Hazel looked back to see me more dirty.

"I'm sorry." he chuckled.

"It's fine, been dirty anyway since I haven't been cleaned over three to four weeks." I joked.

Hazel chuckled again, before coughing from the dirt that may have gotten into his nose or mouth.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm alright, thank you." Hazel thanked.

"Nasty cough you got there Hazel." Strawberry spoke.

"I've been digging." Hazel said to him.

"I wondered why you were so filthy." Strawberry said, before rolling on the grass trying to go back to sleep.

"Strawberry, I thought you were supposed to be training with Bigwig." Hazel said.

"Bigwig is doing military training?" I asked him.

"Yes, he's wanting to have bucks prepared for combat or maneuver to trick our enemies." Hazel explained.

I began to realize the reason why Bigwig didn't have others to dig was because of military training for the _Owsla_.

"I was. I mean, I volunteered, but Bigwig said I wasn't suited for the military." Strawberry explained, before he yawned again. "Not delgentic enough or something."

"You mean not having enough diligence." I corrected. "Even though, I wonder how the practice is being done over there."

"You know Hazel, leaving Cowslip's Warren was the best decision of my life. Here there's fresh air, sunshine, open spaces and I can enjoy it all without fear." Strawberry remembered his decision to leave Cowslip's Warren, as he doesn't want to go back.

"We're very happy you're with us, Strawberry, but-" Hazel said.

"But it's the freedom that's more important." Strawberry interrupted.

"Everyone could enjoy their freedom, but not everything is free or be able to obtain freedom for free." I said.

"Yes, because freedom comes responsibility." Hazel added.

"However, I'm free Hazel. Free to do all the things I've ever wanted to do." Strawberry added.

"Such as?" Hazel and I asked.

"Well, if I wanted to. I well I could just sleep out here all day long." Strawberry laid back on the grass.

"That wouldn't be very productive, would it Strawberry?" Blackberry came out from the warren and joined our conversation.

"Productive?" Strawberry questioned.

"There's lots of work to be done on the Warren." she added.

"Blackberry's right, you wanted a proper home in this warren, right?" I asked Strawberry.

"Well, sure, but what kind of work?"

"Digging." Blackberry, Hazel, and myself said.

"Digging?!" Strawberry stood up.

"That's right. Everyone is gonna have to pitch in." Blackberry said.

"It's a team effort, if you wanted to have a better home, you have to work also to make a home better." I said.

Strawberry than just lied back down and tried to rest.

"Have you spoken to Bigwig?" Blackberry turned towards Hazel.

"Uh... I was just about to." Hazel stuttered, before remembering that he was going to speak to Bigwig.

Blackberry and myself went back to the top of the down, as we waited for everyone else to come and have a meeting.

"It never stops." she said.

"You're telling me... they barely got their hands- I mean paws dirty." I said.

She chuckled. "You shouldn't have to worry about us. You done enough."

"Well... I can't leave you, Hazel and Fiver empty handed. I would be the same for Bigwig and everybody else." I said. "If you have to work, you can't stop until the jobs done."

She nodded. "I understand, however I wanted to make our warren good enough for all of us to live."

"It's reasonable." I said.

* * *

Hazel and the rest of the bucks came back, as Fiver came from the warren.

"Look, I understand that you don't want to dig, but if we're going to have good warren, we have to pitch in to dig." Hazel announced.

"Huh?" Bigwig let off.

"You heard the boss man, he said we need to work together to build this warren. Period." I said.

"Digging is doe's work." Bigwig stated.

"I think Bigwig's got a point there." Hawkbit agrees.

"I agree." Strawberry yawns, only to do either digging or doing training for the _Owsla_.

"Me too! Digging is definitely doe's work." Dandelion agrees.

"I'm the only doe, do you think I should build the warren myself?" Blackberry questioned.

Whispers went on that Blackberry is wanting everyone to work, so that she doesn't be hold accountable if something happens to the warren or simply that she's mad.

"Here's much big meeting, what for?" Kehaar came out of nowhere, as he and Hannah joined our meeting. We didn't tell them, because I know that basically it doesn't concern them much about digging to build a warren. Fiver hushed him from he was speaking loud and also from the jump that Fiver made from Kehaar.

"Yes Kehaar, shush!" Hannah shushed Kehaar. "What is the meeting for? Why didn't anybody tell us?"

"The reason is because it was regarding for rabbits digging up a warren." I explained to her, until she understood. Sort of.

"I for one refuse to dig." Bigwig declared.

"But Bigwig." Hazel tried to call him back.

The rabbits started to argue among themselves again, as I was the outsider of the argument, while Kehaar and Hannah were scratching their heads. The arguments of agreeing or disagreeing about bucks don't dig was driving me insane and getting a headache that I had enough of this.

"YOU'RE TEARING ME APART!" I shouted over them.

Everyone stopped and turned their heads towards me. "What?" they all said, as they don't know why the outburst.

"YOU, YOU SAY ONE THING AND THEY SAY ANOTHER AND GOES BACK AGAIN!" I pointed at them all. "Besides, what about my opinion? I could say what's best for everyone."

"Alright... tell us." Bigwig shook his head and said.

"What do you think we should do?" Hazel asked.

"I think for the sake of the warren and yourselves, we all should dig." I pointed out.

"No... besides my job is defense. I've an _Owsla_ to train." Bigwig disapproves my case.

"Well... why not?" I asked him, surprising everybody. "After all you guys still need an _Owsla_ to defend the warren and for a possible standing army. However, it doesn't change the fact that if we don't dig, what's there to defend?"

The rabbits chattered and whispered quietly.

"Our very lives, naturally. You and everybody else wouldn't be aware of this, but there have been reports of a vicious, bloodthirsty warren nearby called _Efrafa_." Bigwig explained.

"Reports?! From whom?" Hazel asked.

"Well... ummm... Strawberry." Bigwig pointed towards the sleeping Strawberry.

He than wakes up to see everyone was staring at him, for he may know anything about the reports, however I still don't understand what's _Efrafa_. "Uhhh... yes. The _Efrafa_ are vicious and bloodthirsty."

"You seen them?" Hazel questioned Strawberry, hopping towards him.

"No, but I heard stories from Cowslip's Warren and apparently here from Bigwig." Strawberry added.

"You want to dig a burrow and I didn't that's fine, Hazel. My number one priority is military exercises." Bigwig said.

"Yes, Yes, Yes! Military Exercise!" Kehaar cheered.

"We must be prepared for an attack at any moment." Bigwig said.

"Yes! We must be prepared!" Kehaar flapped his wings and lifted into the air, before his wing hit an acorn and fell on Hannah's head. "You see?"

"But these stories might be just that, Bigwig. Stories." Hazel stopped Bigwig from leaving. "We have no proof that this warren exists."

"Even if it's real or not, how could you be sure? Probably rabbits you saw were from another warren or just passing by." I added.

"Huh, take all the diggers you want. I'm going on solitary patrol." Bigwig decided. "I'll get your proof."

We watched Bigwig hopped away from the warren, as he went for his solo patrol.

"That's it then. Let's start digging." Blackberry announced. The rabbits followed Blackberry back into the warren, while Kehaar and Hannah tried to follow Bigwig.

Fiver shivered, as Hazel and I were about to return to the warren.

"Are you alright, Fiver?" I asked.

"I'm fine. I just hope Bigwig is careful, who knows what is out there." Fiver worried.

"Don't worry, I'm sure it's just stories." Hazel reassured his little brother.

"Not so, anybody could spot someone who may be innocent or kind in the inside, until next thing you know that person could trick you into deceit." I feared.

"I know. I'm sure Bigwig just doesn't want to dig." Hazel added.

We looked back before entering the warren and I couldn't get the question out of my head. _What is Efrafa and why are they bloodthirsty?_


	12. Episode 4: Strawberry Fayre Part 2

Strawberry Fayre Part 2

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay, but I hope you enjoyed reading the previous episodes, as well. Hopefully you like this second part of episode 4

After our meeting, as Bigwig went on his solo patrol, everyone else continued to dig the warren to build new burrows. Still using a shovel, I could only dig at least a few spots although I wasn't strong enough to dig much quicker than how the rabbits could. I than spotted Blackberry covered in dirt, until she dusted herself off.

"How's it going, Blackberry?" I asked her about the warren's progress.

"We're making good progress, Andrew." she said.

"That's great." I complimented before going back to work.

"Good work everyone!" she praised to everyone, however she spotted Strawberry was asleep on the job. "Well... almost everyone."

She hopped towards Strawberry and asked him if he was going to join the rest of us to dig.

"Oh, just give me another minute to catch my breath. It's so stuffy down here." he laid back and fakes of gasping for air.

I knew she felt more annoyed by now that Strawberry simply just sat back and didn't even dug a single hole. "Hazel, Hawkbit, and Andrew."

I went over to her, as Hazel and Hawkbit came over.

"I think we need entrances from the hill. You two go up top and start from the outside. Rest a little first if you like." Blackberry instructed us and offered us a break before we start.

"No, we're alright." Hazel was gasping, as he refused the offer and immediately headed up the hill to start, as did too for Hawkbit.

"I'll go up and join them." I said and hurried off to join.

* * *

Minutes after we dug, we had to reach towards the surface of the hill to catch some air and dust ourselves off. Strawberry than came out of the hole, as he was relieved to smell the fresh air. He than looked at us, as if we were zombies coming out of the ground, as the undead.

"You three are filthy!" Strawberry said.

"No kidding, Sherlock." I said with disappointment.

"Are you ready to do some digging now, Strawberry?" Hawkbit questioned him.

"Oh yes! Ready as I ever be! Oh, but first I'd like just a bite of clover, I forgot to eat this morning." he said and hopped off.

I shook my head and could think if we're not working, he may be at times that he could be a character, but if we're and someone adding less value, we need to move on with our work.

"What's gotten into Strawberry?" Hawkbit asked.

"You and me both. I believe he's just sitting back on the work." I said with disappointment.

"He was happy to be with us and don't you think he should help with us quite a bit?" Hawkbit asked.

"He's celebrating his freedom, you two. We just have to be patient." Hazel said to us.

"You could be patient and I could be annoyed." Hawkbit hopped to the top to start working, as we both joined him.

"I know celebrating is one thing, but soon after the celebration is over, we need to get to work." I added.

"I understand, why don't you get some rest." Hazel offered.

"But Hazel, I can't just let you and Hawkbit work on your own." I tried to reject.

"We'll be fine, when you're ready, just come back." he just smiled and patted my back. "You do your best on digging."

"Thank you." I thank him. "I'll won't be long." I went down hill, as Hazel watched me go downhill, before he joined Hawkbit on digging.

* * *

I stopped by the trail of water that leads to a brook. "Well it'll be nice to go for a swim."

I took off my shirt, shoes, and socks placing them onto a side with my phone. Walking towards the water, I dipped my foot in the pool of water to feel it was slightly cool, but I was sweating like crazy from digging. I than dived into the pool without thinking twice. As I was underwater, my eyes were usually be blurry, but interestingly and surprisingly if I told you... my eyes were clear, even looking at my hands and I could see them plain clear, as if I was out of the water.

 _Wow... just can't wait to tell everyone about this!_ I said to myself. _If I do... get home of course._

I swam up to the surface and continued to swim around until I felt cleaned, except not having shampoo and body soap, but a natural swim cleaning was good enough. I stretched my arms onto the grass, as I rested my head back on the grass and watched the clear skies.

"If it only be perfect days like this, I don't know what could go wrong." I said. As I closed my eyes to simply rest, the bright shine faded, that had me to open my eyes to see Bigwig. Startled, I swam away a few inches away from him.

"What are you doing?" he asked me.

"Taking my short break from digging, that was given." I said.

"Oh, well anyway we need to head back to the warren and tell everyone about the threat." Bigwig said.

"Is it the _Efrafas_?" I asked.

"Yes, I was being pursued and made it out by a acorn." he said.

Becoming spooked, I wanted to know more. "If they were real or they are, who leads them?"

"By a vicious one by the name of General Woundwart according his patrolling _Owsla_. It appears they were searching for _hlessil_." Bigwig answered.

" _Hlessil_?"

"Outsiders. Rabbits that live above ground or don't live in a warren." Bigwig explained.

I nodded. "Still, why do they need outsiders for anyway?" I asked.

"Possibly to make a army." he answered.

"That doesn't seemed to make sense of a warren forcing rabbits to join the army in a dictatorially leadership." I said.

"The only way to not join them is to have _Owsla_ to at least defend." Bigwig persuaded.

Coming to reality and reason, he did explain for a possible threat, however at the same time our warren's defense is weak. "I need to hurry back to help the digging in case of a threat."

I got out of the brook and put back on my shirt and socks, despite of still being wet. When I got my shirt and socks back on, with my shoes, Bigwig gave me a strange look. "What?"

"Humans don't have fur?" Bigwig questions me.

"Well no. That's why we have clothes, is it a problem?" I asked.

"No. It's just seeing you around often now, it..." Bigwig tried to explain, but I couldn't help giggle. "Alright, you know what I mean."

"I know. I was just joking." I said, as we started to head back towards the warren.

* * *

As we were heading back, I couldn't help pull out my phone and look at some of my family pictures. I started to miss them so much and feel homesick from staying here longer.

"Bigwig?"

"What is it?" he said.

I tried to think what I was about to say, but I forgot. "Never mind."

"What is it, you were wanting to say something." he said.

"Just forget it!" I sighed. "I started to feel homesick from being away from home too long."

Bigwig remembered how I got here and he probably suspect a small wet tear from my eye led. "Oh here now, I'm sure you'll find your way back. You just need to be strong and sobbing would hold you back."

"I know, sometimes I can't help it from crying though, it's emotions." I explained.

"You're right. It was like that for myself and I had to be strong. In times like this, when you're on your own, you need to be brave and strong." Bigwig explained.

"Easy for you to say." I added.

"Easy?! It was never easy when I had to hold on my own back in Sandleford Warren, before joining _Owsla_." he said.

"How did you anyway?" I asked.

"I was on my own most of mine kitten life, since my parents were caught in shining wires." Bigwig told me.

"I suppose 'apples don't fall from the tree'." I wiped my eyes from tears.

He chuckled lightly. "Well... now you think about the latest happening... yes. However I was going on, I than came to Sandleford Warren from being founded by Captain Holly and his _Owsla_. I was nourished by a new family, until I became strong enough and trained by Holly and joined the _Owsla_."

"Wow. I never knew how much you been through. I'm sorry." I apologized.

"Na, don't worry about it. Since joining the _Owsla_ and apparently left later on because of Hazel and Fiver, I remained determined to defend a warren. Even our new warren." Bigwig said.

"I guess what you're trying to say is that I need to be brave and try to move on if possible." I guessed.

"Exactly." he said.

"Still, I can't move on from my family, they mean so much to me." I doubted.

"How about this, if I go on another patrol, I'll bring you along to see how an _Owsla_ operates." Bigwig offered me to join.

"Well, if they don't need an extra hand of digging, I suppose it won't be bad." I said.

"That's the _Owsla_ spirit lad!" Bigwig rubbed his paw on my head and we continued to head back. As we got close, we spotted Strawberry lying on the grass and next to a small field of clover.

"Are you kidding me?!" I shockingly said.

"What, Strawberry?" Bigwig asked.

"He said he was going to help us dig, but in the end he procrastinates. What happened to him joining the _Owsla_?" I than asked Bigwig.

"He wasn't qualified enough to join the _Owsla_."Bigwig explained.

"Still, he still has different ways to join the _Owsla_ , what about me?" I than brought up about him having me join his patrol.

"I didn't mean to go that far of you joining the _Owsla_." Bigwig explained.

"Although, you still wanted me to go on patrol?" I questioned.

He sighed. "You're right."

"In the mean time, he probably needs training or by digging. It never hurts to have a him dig, it'll probably help, before he could start his real training." I suggested.

"Never a bad idea." he said.

We came to sleeping Strawberry snoring. "What are you doing here?"

Strawberry startled and didn't have much words to say to Bigwig, from his intimidation. "N-Nothing. I mean something."

"Strawberry, are you ready to dig?" I asked.

"Well, I was guarding and defending the clover." he answered.

"From whom?" I asked him, as he started to mumble words for he was trying to say.

"Defending, eh, is that what you called it?" Bigwig questioned, as he hopped away.

"Oh yeah, defending." Strawberry stumbled, as he followed Bigwig back to the warren, as I followed the duo.

 _I hope it wasn't too bad back at the warren_. I hoped that the rabbits had managed to do what they could do while I was on break.

* * *

When we got back, everyone else were outside resting from their digging. They were bit tired from the digging, as well being dirty.

"Now, are you ready to dig, Strawberry?" Hawkbit asked.

"Well yes, it's just I need to-"

"Just save it, Strawberry and stop talking." I told him and he didn't say a word.

"I came back from patrol and these _Efrafas_ are not like us. They consider all outsiders a threat and they won't rest until they killed us all." Bigwig announced.

"Do you actually mean to be brought back to _Efrafa_ as a slave?" I questioned Bigwig.

"I don't think they would even want us to be their slaves, although we're willing to fight until the end." Bigwig explained.

"He did brought though that they would bring any outsiders to join their army." I recalled.

"What makes you said that, Andrew?" Hazel asked.

"While I was swimming by the brook, I came across with Bigwig, as he was coming back from his patrol and told me those things." I explained.

"To the point is that they might discover the location of our warren and wipe us out." Bigwig added.

The rest of the rabbits were bit startled, but maintained their integrity over fear and that increase my admire of them. Although, they might think it was a old wise tale.

"Are you certain Bigwig, why do they want that?" Hazel asked.

"Those are their own words, Hazel. I need every rabbit for the _Owsla_ , so all the digging must stop." Bigwig said.

"You can't be serious, Bigwig. How about a few to dig and the rest to patrol?" I suggested.

Dandelion let out a big laugh and a relief. "Yes, yes, yes! The digging must stop."

"No more digging!" Pipkin cheered.

"What a relief!" Strawberry cheered also.

I sighed loudly, as if I could see a clouded mushroom, coming out of my mouth before disappearing. "Great way to put it." I mumbled quietly.

"Stop digging?!" Blackberry questioned Bigwig.

"Yes, we must defend the warren!" Bigwig exclaimed.

"But there is no warren to defend, Bigwig." Blackberry rejects. "We're not nearly finished."

"We've got to keep digging." Hazel stated. "If only so, we have a place to hide if there is a threat."

"Oh, there is a threat, Hazel! We could be struck at any time, from anywhere!" Bigwig went off.

As I watched them two babble on, I noticed that Kehaar and Hannah were coming towards us. Even it was small to see, it was that Hannah was about to toss something, I looked back at Hazel and Bigwig, as I decided to pull a little prank.

"ENEMY AC-130!" I shouted an hid my face on the grass.

"What is a AC-... 130?" Bigwig looked around, until he felt something that hit on his head and he fell back. I stood up to see it was a acorn on the ground.

"Oh." I said, before giggling inside, as everyone stared at me.

"You think it's funny?" Bigwig glared.

"A little." I said, as we turned to see Kehaar and Hannah soaring down, before Hannah jumped off from the seagull and pounced onto Bigwig. Hannah and I giggled from Bigwig's fall, however I kept it quiet.

"You surprised now, Bigwig." Hannah spoke.

"Kindly... remove yourself... from my chest." Bigwig said. Without thinking twice, Hannah jumped from Bigwig, as Hazel and Hawkbit helped him up.

"Are you alright, Bigwig?" Hawkbit asked.

"Of course!" Bigwig dusted himself off. "What is the meaning of this?"

"This is military exercise Bigwig." Kehaar said. "You must be much proud."

"I don't wholeheartedly from tossing a acorn and landing on his chest, unless it was meant to be surprised." I said.

"Certainly not!" Bigwig exclaimed, as Kehaar and Hannah, and I let my silent giggle go into laughter.

"But, you're surprised Bigwig!" Hannah laughed.

"Yes, you looked surprised, when we hit you." Kehaar laughed also. The rabbits didn't even make a single laugh, chuckle, or giggle leaving me, Kehaar, and Hannah the odd ones to laugh.

"This is no laughing matter!" Bigwig shouted. Kehaar and I immediately stopped laughing, did to for Hannah when she stopped laughing.

"Look, I'm sure they didn't mean to. And I thought the little AC-130 joke could add it. It was funny and we couldn't help it, but laugh. But I didn't warn you that it was them and it was my fault. And we're sorry." I apologized to Bigwig.

Bigwig nodded his head, although he seems to think it was sincere. "Apology accepted. Other than not going into the so called 'AC-130', we need to form an _Owsla_ immediately."

"He does have a point, Hazel. However, him and I discussed that we could have one group to dig and another to patrol for an imminent threat." I spoke to Hazel. Bigwig was surprised to hear the idea of having a temporary two group _Owsla_. Hazel realized that needing an _Owsla_ from Bigwig's conviction and having a moderate idea to have one group dig and another defend. Even the rest of the warren intend to agree.

"Very well then. Bigwig, do you agree?" Hazel than asked him.

"I suppose half a _Owsla_ is better than nothing." Bigwig agrees. "However, I'll take Andrew with me."

"I never did an _Owsla_ patrol before, and I'm not to confident on what to do." I worried.

"It'll be fine. I'll be training everybody else, so they'll be in the same training as you." Bigwig assured me.

I sighed and accepted.

"In that case: Hawkbit, Dandelion, and Pipkin could join your patrol." Hazel assigning the three to join the _Owsla_ for patrol, as the three hopped towards Bigwig and I. "And that'll leaves Fiver, Blackberry, and me to continue with the digging."

"Hazel, you forgotten Strawberry." Fiver pointed out, as we looked at Strawberry.

"I don't mind." he spoke.

"Oh yes... uh... seeing that you don't enjoy digging very much Strawberry, you can join the _Owsla_." Hazel assigned.

Strawberry was unsure and I noticed Bigwig with his disproving shake of his head.

"Hazel?"

"Yes." he turned his head to me, as I walked towards him.

"Why don't we motivate him to dig?" I whispered.

"We try to enjoy his freedom, but it wouldn't work." he said.

"I know, but I meant to say, get him something to do. Because I heard what Bigwig said about Strawberry and he may lose it for good." I explained.

"What would you have him do?" he asked.

I began to think, until an idea popped into my head. "How about you try to motivate him, by having him to dig and when it's done, he'll be able to join the rest of his life enjoying soaking in the sun. Unless of course for _Owsla_ that is."

Hazel wasn't sure, because we had seen Strawberry laid back and procrastinate and do absolutely nothing. However, with a small idea and advice of motivation could be key. "We'll find someway to do it."

I smiled.

"Bigwig! We want to volunteer in the _Owsla_." Kehaar want to volunteer.

"Yes, you must want us now." Hannah recalled from their sneak attack on Bigwig. He still disapproves, not because of the stunt they pulled, but he doesn't accept them to be part of the _Owsla_ because of they are seagull and a mouse, respectively and he remain bigot. It wasn't like that when he spoke to me.

"But, Hannah has some interesting ideas, Bigwig." Blackberry said. "Kehaar, in the sky, could do advanced scouting."

"That won't be a bad idea, he could be like a UAV." I agreed.

"UAV?" Blackberry questioned.

"Unmanned aerial vehicle is the abbreviation for UAV. Kehaar could provide possible dangers ahead of enemy scouts." I agreed with her point.

"You're in charge of the digging, Blackberry. I'll look after the _Owsla_." Bigwig said. "Hawkbit, Dandelion, Pipkin, and Andrew, line up at the bottom of the hill." As we started to be on our way, Bigwig looked back. "And I suppose you two could be our over-watch."

Kehaar and Hannah cheered, before she climbed onto him and took off to the sky to scout ahead.

"Please be careful." Fiver said to me.

"I'll be fine, hopefully you guys would be alright." I said.

He just smiled. "I'm sure we'll. You shouldn't have to worry."

I nodded and headed off to join the _Owsla_ for training and/or doing patrol. Either way, I could learn a new experience that I haven't had before, except following orders and having to be part of a military family background.


	13. Episode 4: Strawberry Fayre Part 3

Strawberry Fayre Part 3

As soon we headed downhill, Bigwig had us formed in a single straight line, as we were in boot camp: me, Pipkin, Hawkbit, and Dandelion were the grunts, and Bigwig is the drill sergeant. I simply kept myself straight position with a straight face. Bigwig started his inspection and stopped when he got to me.

"So, a human trying to join the _Owsla_." Bigwig said.

"Yes Bigwig." I said.

"I'm sorry, I cannot hear you." Bigwig exclaimed.

"Yes, Bigwig sir!" I shouted.

"That's more like it." he praised. "Now you'll be learning the basics: hop and over, hop and roll, crawl, and stop and sniff. Are we clear?"

Everyone was quiet and nodded.

"I said, are we clear?!" Bigwig questioned us again.

"YES, BIGWIG SIR!" the rest of the _Owsla_ shouted.

We than started the basics of hop and over, as the most of the bucks, except Pipkin had a struggle to get back on his feet, as he reached the top of a boulder. When I climbed and reached to the top, I picked up Pipkin back on his feet.

"Why did you do that?" he asked.

"If you're serving for a country or in this case a warren, you're all suppose to work together as a team, like a band of brothers." I explained.

Pipkin smiled, until he fell to the ground. I leaned over before jumping down, if he was alright and it seemed that he recovered his fall fine and hopped on.

* * *

In our next training obstacle, it was simply hopping through a log, Hawkbit and Dandelion made their course, than it was Pipkin. Bigwig than realized that I was missing, however I had to catch a quick breath before proceeding on.

"Andrew! Where are you?!" I heard Bigwig shout.

"I'm here." I said, as I went around a small bush and got myself face down on the ground and started to crawl through the log. Eventually I made it through, as I got up, Bigwig stared at me.

"Now, what was that?!" he questioned.

"Bigwig, sir! I'm not a rabbit, sir!" I answered, before continuing on the obstacle. We than had another course was to simply crawl through the grass, as we meant to be stealth.

"Keep low! Yet, remember that the enemy could be anywhere." Bigwig remained us. It was fascinating that Bigwig has the resemblance of a drill sergeant, unlike Gunnery Sergeant Hartman from _Full Metal Jacket_. Afterwards, the rabbits had another training on their own, as they had to stop and sniff. It was a slightly hilarious that Pipkin misunderstood of "Stop and Sniff" as "Stomp and Sniff", until Bigwig corrected him. I watched Kehaar and Hannah were sky high, observing and keeping eye out of a enemy patrol. I had a small training, as well to be on guard or basically keep watch.

"Any sign?" Bigwig asked.

"No, Bigwig, sir!" I answered.

"And you don't need to keep doing that." Bigwig said.

"Yes and thank you, Bigwig." I thanked.

* * *

"Alright, we need to regroup for our first patrol. Kehaar and Hannah come down! And Hawkbit, Dandelion, and Pipkin front and center!" Bigwig commanded.

Kehaar and Hannah flew down and joined me, with the rest of the rabbits in a single straight line, as Bigwig started his next inspection.

"I suppose you two are not bad that I thought you would be." Bigwig said to Kehaar and Hannah.

"Ya, Kehaar and Hannah fly for you to find enemy, but no sign yet." Kehaar said.

"Good. Now it seems like your training is making progress. However, there's not time to lose. We must find the _Efrafa_ patrol, before they find us." Bigwig said.

"We haven't learn about combat yet." I said.

"You're going to have learn that with military tactics in action." Bigwig added.

It may give us a disadvantage if we haven't learn about combat, unless we had to improvise in action.

"Forward!" Bigwig commanded us to move out. Kehaar took off with Hannah, as if she was the co-pilot.

"Action. You mean like real action?" Pipkin asked.

"Yes, we'll have to test the training you have learned in action." Bigwig answered.

"I just hope it pays off or we know what to do if they find us." I felt little worried if we're not fully prepared, we may be out matched by the " _Efrafans_ ".

"We'll know if we're being followed." Bigwig looked up to see Keehar and Hannah providing over-watch. We than went on with our first patrol to find the _Efrafa_ patrol. By far, as we kept going, we kept finding no luck. Even the rabbits had to sniff the air for unfamiliar scent that may have been the enemy patrol.

At one point minutes distancing away from the warren, Kehaar told Bigwig that they were being followed. Bigwig started to sniff the air for scent. Me and the rest of the _Owsla_ were concealed in the grass to keep ourselves hidden from the _Efrafa_ patrol.

"Do you have the scent of 'Fafar', Bigwig?" Pipkin asked little quietly.

"It's _Efrafa_ and no I haven't. Let's move on." Bigwig answered. We than followed Bigwig and continued to move out.

"Do you possibly think they may advantage here?" I asked Bigwig.

"What makes you ask that kind of a question?" Bigwig asked.

"For one thing, if you wanted to know your enemy, it's that we need to know where they have patrolled or last seen at a disclosed location." I answered. "They may have come across this kind of area before, and we're new incomers. Also if they have know this area, they may good advantage to concealed themselves without being spotted by ground or even air."

Bigwig began to think about my observation that the _Efrafa_ patrol may have an advantage because they been around this parts of the fields or meadows before on their patrols. He started to sniff once again to the air for scent.

"Are you sure about this, Andrew? What if you're wrong?" Dandelion questioned.

"Than I'm wrong. It was only for the obvious, maybe coincidence that we're being lured into their patrol territory from their older scent, and/or according to Kehaar we've been followed." I concluded.

"Any sign?" Hawkbit asked Bigwig.

He finished his sniff for scent. "It's _Efrafa_."

"Are we followed or lured here?" I asked.

"They're trailing us for some time." Bigwig stated.

"That's it! We've been following us nearly the whole time, and Kehaar is right." I exclaimed.

"Have we better off to go back to the warren?" Pipkin frighteningly asked.

"If they followed us back, we may endanger everybody in the warren." I answered. Pipkin began to feel shaken in because we have been followed.

"That's exactly what they want. Nope, we need to lured them away from warren." Bigwig said.

"Basically, allowing them to follow us away from here, until they spot us and we could lose them from our trail." I summed up.

"That's correct." Bigwig agreed. "We need to stay close until we lose them."

We than nodded for this task. "Kehaar!" Bigwig called out to Kehaar, and flew down.

"What is it, Bigwig?" he asked.

"Keep in eye for the _Efrafa_ patrol and alert us if they're very close." Bigwig commanded.

"Ya, _Efrafa_ close right, like I said?" Kehaar recalled.

"Yes, yes, just alert us if they are close."

"Kehaar and Hannah will alarm you when close." Kehaar and Hannah agreed, as they flew back to the sky.

* * *

A boom of lightening sounded off. We than began to realize that a rain was around the corner. "Well some much of an enemy patrol following us, we're now going to endure some rain." I said.

"It will help us to cover the track." Bigwig added. He knew if the rain drops come, our tracks will be covered from the ground that would be mud.

We kept going away from our last rest point, until we heard Kehaar screeched. "Bigwig, _Efrafa_ close!"

"He kept saying that since first start of patrol." Hawkbit said.

"THERE!" we heard a deep toned voice from the hill to see it was the _Efrafa_ patrol had followed us and started to pursue us.

"What are we going to do?!" I shouted.

"Basic maneuvers!" Bigwig initiated for us to separate and spread out. As they spread out, I found myself alone and the enemy patrol were near towards me.

"Halt!" the dark black rabbit commanded. The rabbits halted to spot me. "A human?! What is your business?"

"It's not what it seems, I'm trying to find my way home. They were just helping and we're doing anything to intrude you guys or nothing." I said.

"A human lost his way home?" a gray-white rabbit teased. The others started to laugh, except the dark brown rabbit.

"I'm sure General Woundwart would be interested and pleased to meet a rabbit sized human." the dark black rabbit spoke. They continued to come towards me and I decided to run for it. As the rest of the rabbits split, the _Efrafa_ patrol split up, as the dark black rabbit chased after me. I started to randomly search my travel pack pockets to find some poppers. I grabbed the bag and I tossed one towards the rabbit's feet and it popped into the ground. He jumped from the pop.

"What was that?!" he looked around.

"Want some poppers?" I began to toss some around him that spook him away. "I guess those poppers were handy from the new year."

"Help me!" I heard a voice that sounded like Pipkin.

"Oh no, he's in trouble. Pipkin!" I began to call out for him. He continued to scream and I saw two rabbits following him that led to a big drain pipe. However, Pipkin continued to flee from the pursuers. I hurried over and managed to catch up with him, as he suddenly stopped to have a dark gray rabbit flew above him.

"Nice stop." I said.

"Thank you." Pipkin gasping for air.

"We need to leave before they could find us again." I said. We started to try to find our way back, but stopped by the black rabbit. We started to fall back, until we got cornered by three others.

" _Ef-Efrafa_ everywhere." Pipkin is shaken.

"Not for long." I pulled out my poppers and tossed them to the ground, but this time they didn't even flinch or spooked by them.

"What was that?" he said.

"Poppers, it worked with the black one and I thought it'll work on any of them." I said.

"You two would be new prisoners of General Woundwart. Take them!" the black rabbit spoke.

A bright brown rabbit picked up Pipkin.

"HELP!" Pipkin cries.

"LET him go!" I begged.

"Or what?" the bright brown rabbit spoke.

I pulled out my switchblade. "You may get yourself a cut."

He let go of him and started to circle around me. "A human wanting to rescue an outsider."

"He's not an outsider." I said.

"Perhaps he could tell us where his home is." he added. Everyone looked at Pipkin and he remained quiet. I nodded my head for Pipkin, as he didn't give away his home, supposedly he must have learned not to speak with unknown rabbits from another warren or outsiders.

"It's a shame you don't have a home!" the rabbit spoke to him, as he's about to pounce on Pipkin. I got in front of him in time, with my switchblade sticking out. The rabbit pounced on me instead and I thought it would be my end. As we both landed on the ground, I heard the rabbit wheezing and gasping, as he was being chocked. He let his final breathe and strength give way, as his body collapsed on me. I wasn't sure what had happened.

"ANDREW! Please say you're alright!" I heard Pipkin cried.

I pushed the lifeless off of me, to see my switchblade was impaled to the rabbit.

"Oh shoot!" Although I didn't say 'shoot' I said the s- word in a whisper. The _Efrafa_ rabbits were shocked and became angrier with me, after I killed one of their soldiers.

"Fall back! Before _The Black Rabbit_ may take one of us!" The black rabbit spoke and the two started to fall back. The dark brown rabbit stopped to close the eyes of his fallen comrade, before looking back towards me and Pipkin.

"You may be spared, but don't be so lucky, if you're spotted by us or entering _Efrafa_." he spoke.

"Campion!" the voice of the black rabbit came.

"I still admire what you have done to save this kitten, although you humans have killed our kind as well." the dark brown rabbit, to go by Campion said as he leave.

* * *

I walked towards the lifeless rabbit and removed the blade from his chest to see the blood lightly streaming down onto the grass. I began to quiver and shake, as I committed a deadly sin of killing a living animal.

"I killed him." I said about three times.

Pipkin was a bit scared to see a rabbit being killed by man. He kept calm and wanted to comfort me. "Andrew, it's-"

"Please don't." I begged him to not get close. Although he was more scared than I am, I was more frightened for the worst of Pipkin and myself.

"Pipkin! Andrew!" We heard Bigwig calling us. I knew what he is going to say about what I have done. The horrible thing I did to a rabbit. When he got here, he gasped from the scene. Seeing the rabbit drenched in blood, Pipkin looked at Bigwig, before the two looked at me sitting on the ground with "the blood on my hands" for killing the rabbit.

"What happened?" Bigwig asked us.

I was too scared to answer him, fearing that he may banish me. Pipkin knew I was too afraid and tears of shame fell from my eyes, and he stepped up.

"He saved my life." Pipkin said. Bigwig looked at him. "I was being chased by the _Efrafa_ , until Andrew caught up with me, only to be surrounded by them." He than pointed at the dead _Efrafa_ rabbit. "He was about to take me, but Andrew shielded me with his... stick, I suppose. The rabbit pounced on him and the _Efrafa_ buck stopped running."

Bigwig investigated the fallen rabbit and saw the punctured stab on his chest.

"Go ahead." I spoke. "You could banish me away. I didn't mean to, but I have to. He would have taken Pipkin away and/or myself. I had the right to defend him and myself."

"What happened to the _Efrafa_ patrol?" Bigwig asked.

"Uh... oh, they ran away after I killed him." I was still shaken like Johnny Cade from _The Outsiders_ when he saved Ponyboy Curtis from "The Socs" and stabbed Bob Sheldon at the park, in the middle of a confrontation. "It's all my fault. I now endangered you guys more from murdering an _Owsla_ buck."

"Oh here now. You did what you had to do and saved Pipkin from the _Efrara_ patrol. If you weren't there, he would have been taken." Bigwig comforted and said boldly that I had to make that decision.

"Please, let's go home." I said.

Kehaar and Hannah flew above us. "Kehaar and I helped you to alert you from the _Efrafa_ rabbits." she said.

"You must be much pround, Bigwig." Kehaar said.

"Yeah, yeah good work you two. Now head back we'll be behind you." Bigwig said.

"But we can't, they may follow and try to catch us again, Bigwig." Pipkin said, before a boom of thunder sounded off.

"Don't worry, help is on the way." Bigwig said. The rain started to pour and the blood on my hands started to wash away. "You see, they'll never follow us in this storm." We started to make our journey back for home, as I looked back at the lifeless rabbit being washed from the stab.

"Don't look back, Andrew. It's not your fault and you only did it to save Pipkin. What's done is done." Bigwig patted my shoulder.

I looked at him with him nodding, as I nodded back. We finally caught with Dandelion and Hawkbit.

"Are they gone?" Dandelion asked Bigwig.

"For now, we're heading back to tell Hazel what has happened." Bigwig said.

Hawkbit noticed me shivered. "What's with him?"

"Don't worry about it. _Owsla_ move out!" Bigwig commanded and we followed him back to Watership Down. Hawkbit kept looking at me.

"So what happened with the _Efrafa_ patrol?" he asked.

"Hawkbit." Pipkin said. Hawkbit ignored.

"Come on, something must have happened to them."

"Leave him alone, Hawkbit. He's feeling more bad than he needs to be." Bigwig stood up.

"What did you do? Tell me." Hawkbit try to get my attention with his paw on my back.

"DON'T TOUCH ME AND GET OFF OF ME!" I yelled to get my point across with Hawkbit.

"That's enough!" Bigwig shouted and the _Owsla_ stopped, as he came towards us. "There's no point of knowing what happened, but let him be."

"Alright, of course than." Hawkbit startled, but let it slide. As they continued with their journey, I decided to put on some music to clear my head with headphones on my ears.

* * *

When we arrived back to Watership Down, we spotted Hazel and Fiver speaking to Strawberry. I suspect that Strawberry must have the motivation to dig.

"Hazel, we just encountered the _Efrafa_ and they're just as dangerous as I suspected." Bigwig told Hazel. "We must make major changes to the warren to assume adequate defense. The work must start immediately." It tells me that we're going on full on defense on patrol and for the warren itself, as I overheard Bigwig's conversation, before we got here.

"And just who will do all this extra digging, Bigwig?" Blackberry came down and asked Bigwig.

"I will and so will my _Owsla_." Bigwig announced, making a surprise gasp from everyone. I wasn't surprised for the fact that we had to do extra digging for defense at one point or another.

"But I thought digging was doe's work, Bigwig." Hazel said.

"Ah, but this is defensive digging." Bigwig stated. Hazel looked back to see me unsure and I still couldn't be able to recover from what had happened earlier today.

" _OWSLA_! Initiate digging procedures!" Bigwig commanded the _Owsla_ to start digging. They headed their way towards the warren, however Bigwig was stopped by Hazel.

"What's wrong with Andrew?" Hazel asked. Bigwig looked back to see that I was sitting on the edge of the hill.

"Hazel, it's something you should probably talk this one. I would rather let him tell you. He and Pipkin told me what happened and I would not speak of it for him." Bigwig said, before joining the _Owsla_ and the rest of the rabbits to dig. Hazel hopped towards and placed his paw on my shoulder.

"What happened?" he asked. I kept silent. "Please tell me, something happened. Was it Bigwig?"

"No." I said.

"Was it Hawkbit or Dandelion? Did they try to do something to you?" Hazel went stern.

"No. That's not it."

"You can trust me, Andrew. Trust me, it'll only be between us." Hazel promised.

"When we encountered the _Efrafa_ patrol, we split up. I managed to lose one of the bucks. I than heard Pipkin crying for help. I than made it towards him, only to be surrounded by the _Efrafa_ patrol." I said, as I looked at my hands. "One of the rabbits was about to attack Pipkin, but I shielded him from harm. However, I ended up putting harm to the rabbit pounced on me."

"What did you do?" he asked.

"I killed him in self-defense with my switchblade." I said. He was surprised that killed a rabbit. "I didn't mean to, but I had to protect Pipkin and myself. Something worst could have happened to him, if I wasn't there."

"I know." Hazel said calmly.

I gasped. "Bigwig told you?"

"No, Fiver had a vision when we dug the warren. He visioned that 'man would save a fellow rabbit from an enemy'." Hazel recalled a vision that he said.

"When did that happened?" I asked.

"About the time you and the _Owsla_ left." Hazel answered.

Now I realized that everybody by now knows and I can't blame Fiver for the vision. Maybe it was meant to be by accident.

"I did save Pipkin." I said regretfully.

"You did. You saved Pipkin from the _Efrafa_ rabbits taking him. You did what you had to do, to save him and you shouldn't be ashamed for saving someone you loved from danger." he said.

I sighed and decided to accept what I had done. "I guess sometimes things happen by accidents or purpose. Either way, I'm proud of you guys sticking up for me and I can't thank you enough."

Hazel nodded and patted my shoulder with a smile. "No, thank you for saving Pipkin." I smiled back for being a good friend, as Bigwig did the same thing when he discovered what had happened.

"Come on. We better join the rest to finish up the digging." Hazel said.

"That and with some tunes to keep me work flowing." I said, as I put on some country music and joined Hazel back into the burrow to help with the defensive digging.

 _To Be Continued..._


	14. Episode 5: The Shadow of Efrafa Part 1

The Shadow of _Efrafa_ Part 1

I woke up in the next morning, not having enough sleep I had hoped after digging the whole warren. The real reason was killing the _Efrafa_ rabbit on the first patrol as _Owsla_. From what I had been told by Hazel and Bigwig, I had to take drastic measures any way possible to defend myself and someone I cared. I cleaned up my burrow from sleeping last night, as I usually wanted to keep it clean when the morning began. I been stopped getting any calls in the matter, as I assume that they pretty much stopped searching for me and obviously giving up.

"If they suspect that I'm no longer missing, and assume dead. Very well." I decided to wrap the towel and decided that I'm home, unless something along the way could help me get back. I went down the tunnel to see everyone else up in the morning inspecting "The Honeycomb".

"Yes, very good and solid." Hazel said, as he inspected the outer layer of the dirt walls.

"That should keep the rain out." Bigwig said.

"And have you ever seen this much open space in a Warren." Blackberry added.

"It's like being outside, but you know inside." Dandelion said.

"I guess the digging must have paid off." I said.

Everybody noticed that I showed up. "Good morning, Andrew." Hazel and everybody said in the warren.

"Good morning." I said.

"Do you always sleep in?" Hawkbit asked.

"After some hard work been done, I have to say yes." I answered.

"Either way, in case of more rabbits joining us, there's always an extra hand to build them a burrow." Blackberry added.

"Do you think they would be able to get anybody?" I asked.

Hazel felt a little down.

"Is it something I said? I'm sorry if I said it wrong." I apologized.

"No, you said nothing wrong, we're just rattling around like walnuts in a well." Hazel sadly said.

"I wouldn't say walnuts, but more muskrats to put it." I said.

Hazel simply sighed and hopped off out of the warren. We started to realize something is troubling with Hazel, more likely since the warren is completely constructed.

"Now what's bothering him?" Bigwig asked.

"I was hoping, if anybody knows. Since we finished constructing the warren, he seemed a little down." I began to worry.

"He's thinking again." Dandelion assumed.

"About what?" I asked.

Everybody shrugged their shoulders without having the slightest clue yet.

"I don't know. But, he does entirely too much that." Hawkbit said.

"Well, only one way to find." I decided to go see Hazel to see what the problem is.

* * *

I exited out of the warren to see Hazel standing by the edge of the down looking at the sky. Apparently, I didn't have a football or a empty water bottle with me to make this of a cliche like Johnny and his best friend, Mark.

"Hazel?"

He turned around to see me approaching to him. "Andrew. Is something wrong?"

"I was going to ask the same question, but with you. Something on your mind?" I asked.

"I don't know. Ever since we arrived here, I felt like we have done not enough." Hazel worried.

"We did make some progress. For instance, took me, Kehaar, Hannah, Captain Holly and Strawberry in, and more importantly finished digging the warren." I listed.

"I know, but it doesn't seem it's not enough." Hazel said.

"Than what is it, than?"

"I'm hoping to have other rabbits that are outsiders or possibly from another warren to join us." Hazel answered.

"Never a bad idea, but where do you think you could get them from?" I asked.

"Maybe _Efrafa._ " Hazel said.

Surprised, after our encounter with their patrol, I wasn't exactly sure why would Hazel wanted some rabbits to join us from _Efrafa_. "Why there?"

"Hoping to see some rabbits could join our new warren." he said.

I than started to remember what that black rabbit said about me and Pipkin to become their prisoners. "I did recall that one of the rabbits that spoke to me and Pipkin about becoming their prisoners."

"I beg your pardon?" Hazel asked.

"When I was in part of the _Owsla_ patrol, we got encounter by the _Efrafa_ patrol. Soon after regrouping with Pipkin, one of the rabbits, who was nearly all in black stated, 'that me and Pipkin would become prisoners of General Woundwart." I recalled what a _Efrafa_ rabbit said.

"Are you saying that they have prisoners?" Hazel questioned.

"I don't know, that's all I heard from them. Are we going anybody out of there?" I asked.

"If someone or group of rabbits in harms way than yes." he committed.

We than looked back at the sky not only to see the day was clear, but a good wind breeze blew around us. I than saw that Bigwig and Fiver came out of the warren to join us.

"Speaking about rabbits or searching for one, where's Keehar?" I asked Hazel.

"I asked him to scout out the _Efrafa_ warren." Hazel answered.

Fiver and I gasped.

" _Frith_ above why?!" Bigwig questioned.

"Unless we found more rabbits to join us, we won't last." Hazel said. "It's simple as that."

"Especially for female rabbits?" I started to joke.

"Of course not!" Hazel exclaimed.

"Oh come on, if you even think that we won't last. I'm pretty sure half of it is to look for a girl- or a doe in that matter." I said, as Hazel started to blush a little. "Got yourself a secret admirer? Huh?"

"Alright, you're taking it a little to far." Fiver said.

"Okay I'm sorry, I was just joking. The main fact of course what you said, we needed more rabbits." I apologized.

"So you plan on recruiting from _Efrafa_?" Bigwig asked.

"There is nowhere else, unless you feel like going back to _The Warren of Shining Wires_." Hazel answered and made a suggestion to Bigwig.

I noticed Fiver lightly shivered and thought it was a burn, since what had happened to Bigwig there, with him being caught in a snare. Bigwig than remembered what had happened.

"Not in this lifetime." Bigwig said, as he rubbed his neck, as he remembered being trapped in a snare.

"No kidding, Sherlock." I said.

"But Hazel, from what we know about the _Efrafans_ they live for war." Fiver said.

"Really, why live like that? I know other countries and civilizations at the time only live by war." asked.

"And the chap in charge, Woundwart from the sound of him. He would tear you into bits as he look at you." Bigwig said.

I gulped into my stomach from hearing "tearing into shreds".

"If you live there, wouldn't you want to get out?" Hazel smirked and questioned Bigwig.

Bigwig didn't answered.

"I know if I lived in non-Democracy country I would, it wouldn't be easy though." I answered.

Hazel smiled and nodded, before headed back into the warren.

"Always thinking your big brother." Bigwig said to Fiver.

"He does." Fiver said.

"Thinking about your brother, I would starting thinking about my siblings as well." I started to recall about my family siblings.

"You have an older brother also?" Fiver asked.

"Actually, one older sister, brother, and three young sisters. Two of the three is one set of twins." I said.

"Wow, you come from a big family." Fiver was surprised.

"I wouldn't know a experience to have a big family for myself." Bigwig said.

"Well, if you have more than three different family last names, the experience is also great." I said, as I laid on the tree's stem and watched the sun shine, as the skies are blue, as Fiver and Bigwig went back inside the warren.

* * *

 _Like a rainy Sunday morning makes me want to stay in bed_  
 _Twisted up all day long_  
 _You're my inspiration, girl you take me places_  
 _Put the words right into these songs_

 _Stealing kisses under cover, babe_  
 _See forever when I see your face_  
 _And I swear God made you for me_

 _You make it easy_  
 _Lovin' up on you_  
 _Make it easy_  
 _With every little thing you do_  
 _You're my sunshine in the darkest days_  
 _My better half, my saving grace_  
 _You make me who I wanna be_  
 _You make it easy_

 _You took all my rough around the edges_  
 _Never let it ruffle up your feathers, angel_  
 _Yeah I'm down for life, you got me wrapped around your finger_  
 _And I like it just in case you can't tell_

 _You make it easy_  
 _Lovin' up on you_  
 _Make it easy_  
 _With every little thing you do_  
 _You're my sunshine in the darkest days_  
 _My better half, my saving grace_  
 _You make me who I wanna be_  
 _You make it easy_

 _Stealing kisses under cover, babe_  
 _See forever when I see your face_  
 _And I swear God made you for me_

 _You make it easy_  
 _Lovin' up on you_  
 _Make it easy_  
 _With every little thing you do_  
 _You're my sunshine in the darkest days_  
 _My better half, my saving grace_  
 _You make me who I wanna be_  
 _You make it easy_

 _You make it easy_

I woke up from my nap on the tree, while listening to Jason Aldean, only to see Kehaar was close to my face and flapping his wing to get his attention. With a light jump, I paused the song and removed my headphones.

"Oh Andrew, you awake yea." Kehaar shouted.

"I'm... you even give me a little scare, but yes." I said.

"Kehaar sorry." he apologized.

"Don't worry about it. Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Yes, Kehaar needs to see Hazel and rabbits." he said.

"Regarding to _Efrafa_?" I questioned.

"Yes."

In that moment, Hazel, Bigwig, and the _Owsla_ came out of the warren.

"Kehaar, what do you have about _Efrafa_?" Hazel asked.

"Kehaar see rabbits outside, until forced back in. Saw two rabbits would suffer, so I make them run! Dirty, _Efrafa_ place is no good for rabbits or gull! No Good! No Good!" Kehaar exclaimed, as he ran in circles.

"So there are rabbits there, who will join us." Hazel in relief for hope of having new rabbits in the warren. "If we could get them out."

"Easier said than done by the sound of it." Dandelion said.

"They're not done at all, if you ask me. Who needs that lot coming after us, hmm?" Hawkbit questioned.

"It twists my tail." Fiver added. "Imagine living like that."

"I couldn't imagine that for myself." I said.

"If Woundwart finds Watership Down, before we're up to strength you won't have to imagine it." Bigwig said.

Hazel began to think for a moment and decided to make up a daring risk. "Then we go to _Efrafa_ , before _Efrafa_ comes to us."

As the late afternoon came for the sun to start set, Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, and Kehaar started on their journey. However, I started to follow them, until they after we went downhill, they noticed I was following them.

"Why are you following us?" Bigwig asked.

"I wanted to go too." I wanted to volunteer.

"I'm sorry, Andrew. This is too dangerous and a risk for yourself." Hazel worried.

"Don't forget, if _Efrafa_ see you and remembered that you accidentally killed one of their _Owsla_ bucks, it would be the end of you." Fiver added.

"I know, but I don't want you guys to do this alone." I said.

"If you wish, but we strongly disagree." Hazel added.

"Hazel, if it was something regarding to _Efrafa_ , I'm already involved now. I'm marked man and I'll try to persuade them that it was accident and self-defense." I told him.

They looked at each other and decided to have me go along with them.

"Alright, please do be careful and we'll make sure to look out for you as well, and thank you." Hazel decided.

I let out a relief. "Thank you."

"Well, let's continue on." Bigwig stated and we continued with our journey.

* * *

We went through the woods for hours, as we journeyed our way to _Efrafa_. Even though, we didn't have much of a rest, except a bite to eat and I also have some music to keep me company. As the night fall, we founded ourselves near a railroad track.

"Are we nearly there yet, Kehaar?" Fiver asked.

" _Efrafa_ over there, if _Efrafa_ is on far side, not far now." Kehaar answered.

"Right, we'll meet you at the river." Hazel decided to have us regroup. "Keep an eye out for _Efrafa_ patrols."

Kehaar nodded his head and took off into the night sky. I than heard what I suspect a wolf.

"Is that a wolf?" I asked.

"Wolf?!" Hazel exclaimed and all four of us stopped from where we're going and kept our heads down. We than heard another howl.

"Oh, I guess not. I'm sorry about that." I apologized.

"Alright, let's keep moving." Hazel said and we kept going.

"Have you worked out what we're going to do when we get to _Efrafa_?" Bigwig asked Hazel.

"Check the layer of the land... decided whether we could negotiate with Woundwart or... whether we trick him." Hazel tries to come up with a plan.

"So you haven't have a clue then." Bigwig said. We than stopped alongside the railroad tracks. Fiver began to sniff the track, as they haven't seen one before.

"What are these?" Fiver asked.

"They're railroad tracks." I answered.

"Railroad tracks?" Hazel questioned.

"They're tracks that trains ride on to travel." I explained.

"Another 'man' travel?" Bigwig guessed.

"Yep."

"They sure shine like a giant double slug trail, doesn't it?" Bigwig said as we heard a train horn from the distance.

I chuckled. "I don't think so. I see slugs when they move. Besides, I always seem them and hear them 'night trains' at night back at home."

"'Night trains'?"

"I came with it, as trains ride through the night and from a song called _Night Train_ by Jason Aldean." I said.

"Still if it was a slug, I wouldn't want to meet it after leaving this." Hazel said.

"I doubt you will and no slugs could leave this marking." I assured him and another horn blew. We than saw a 'night train' with it's lights shining on the tracks, as it was heading towards our way. It was moving fast that we couldn't have enough time to react, as Hazel, Bigwig, and myself hopped off the tracks, not only than we realized that Fiver was gazing at it's lights.

"FIVER, GET OFF THE TRACKS!" I shouted. He wouldn't budge, as the train was approaching towards him. I ran fast as possible and tackled him off the tracks, saving him from being another road or track kill that animals fall victims to them every single day. We than landed on grass.

"FIVER! ANDREW!" I heard Hazel and Bigwig screamed, however nearly couldn't hear them, as the train muffled their shout. After the train left, we both stood up and came back towards them.

"Oh, Great _Frith_." Hazel was relieved.

"For a minute there." Bigwig also was relieved.

"Just what were you thinking?!" I asked Fiver.

"I'm sorry, I was hypnotized from the lights, I froze." Fiver apologized.

I sighed. "I'm sure for the fact that not many animals would have lived through this kind of incident. You know could have been killed! Like Ariel from _Footloose_."

"He didn't mean to, Andrew." Hazel protected his little brother. I than realized it was a bad connection, because Fiver froze from the lights, but Ariel from _Footloose_ was being reckless, but saved by Ren McCormick. I guess I was trying to be overprotective.

"I'm sorry. I was too worried and you could have-"

"We know. It's okay." Fiver assured. "We'll just make sure we'll stay off it's path."

"Only we hear the whistle blows at least." I added. Fiver and everybody else nodded for agreement and continued with our trip to _Efrafa_.

* * *

We than met back with Kehaar at a river bank. Kehaar was started to rest his eyes after soaring for overwatch.

"No sign of _Efrafa_ patrol." Kehaar said.

"Thank you, get some rest before the morning. We all should." Hazel suggested.

Kehaar started to fall asleep. Bigwig decided to keep on watch in case of _elil_ , while Fiver snuggled with Hazel, and I set up a small fire, by using small sticks by the river path, and lie down near it. I set my bag down and pulled out my guitar, as I heard the whistle of them night trains passing through the night.

"There goes freight trains." I said.

"Are those the same ones, we stumbled upon?" Hazel asked.

"No, freight trains travel slower than passenger trains." I said, as I started to strum the guitar.

"What song is that?" Fiver asked.

"It's the song I told you guys about. _Night Train_." I answered. "Want to hear it?"

"I don't mind." Fiver agrees.

"I don't see why not." Hazel agrees also. I started to strum the guitar, as the campfire spark an amber at the clear night sky with stars shining. Even Bigwig started to hear the strums and joined us.

 _I've been thinkin' bout you all day baby_  
 _Waitin' on that sun to go down_  
 _Whatcha say I pick you up after work_  
 _Slide over, we slip out to the outskirts of town_  
 _Got a blanket and a fifth of comfort_  
 _A little something to knock off the edge_  
 _It's supposed to get a little cool tonight_  
 _Looks like I'm gonna have to hold you tight... yeah_

 _Bout a mile off old mill road_  
 _In that spot nobody knows_  
 _Park the truck and we take off running_  
 _Hurry up, girl I hear it coming_  
 _Got a moon and a billion stars_  
 _Sound of steel and old box cars_  
 _The thought of you is driving me insane_  
 _Come on baby lets go listen to the night train_

 _Yeah I hope it's gonna be a long one_  
 _If were lucky it's moving slow_  
 _Wouldn't mind if it lasted all night_  
 _Lying next to you on that hillside lets go_

 _Bout a mile off old mill road_  
 _In that spot nobody knows_  
 _Park the truck and we take off running_  
 _Hurry up girl, I hear it coming_  
 _Got a moon and a billion stars_  
 _Sound of steel and old box cars_  
 _The thought of you is driving me insane_  
 _Come on baby lets go listen to the night train_

 _Let's go listen to the night train_

 _Bout a mile off old mill road_  
 _In that spot nobody knows_  
 _Park the truck and we take off running_  
 _Hurry up, girl I hear it coming_  
 _Got a moon and a billion stars_  
 _Sound of steel and old box cars_  
 _The thought of you is driving me insane_  
 _Come on baby lets go listen to the night train_

 _Let's go listen to the night train_

"That was wonderful. Well told!" Fiver praised.

"A good song." Hazel praised also.

"Hear, hear." Bigwig as well. I set my guitar down and covered myself with blankets and lie on the sleeping bag.

"Hopefully, you all have a good night sleep." I said.

"And you two, lad." Bigwig said.

"Goodnight." Fiver said.

"Goodnight Andrew." Hazel said. They fell fast asleep, as I was still wake and I looked up at the starry skies. A shooting star zoomed across the sky. I closed my eyes and say a little pray.

"Please God, give me strength and guidance. I can't do this alone when I have to meet with _Efrafa_ 's leader and explain to them of my fault. I'll say the truth of what I have done." I prayed, before tucking myself in with the blankets and went to sleep.


	15. Episode 5: The Shadow of Efrafa Part 2

The Shadow of Efrafa Part 2

When the morning came, we didn't waste much time after our short breakfast, as we continued with our journey to _Efrafa_. We arrived what I assume to be a farming field, as the wheat was all around us and crows were chirping.

"Kehaar, how far do you think?" I asked.

"Not far now." Kehaar answered.

We than stopped when we landed on a shadow, immediately Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig gasped as what they think it was man.

"Man! Scatter!" Bigwig exclaimed. The three scattered and hid in the fields, while I looked up to see it was nothing, but a scarecrow. I even saw Kehaar landed on the scarecrow and I giggled inside from the fact that me and Kehaar were the only ones knew what it was.

"What's got jumping now?" Kehaar asked the trio.

The rabbits came out of hiding and Hazel was the first one came towards the tall fake 'man' and even patted on it. "It's not a man. Not a real one anyway. It's stuffed with straw."

"It's some kind of man trick." Fiver added.

"It's a scarecrow." I pointed out.

"Didn't fool me." Bigwig boldly said.

"Really, Bigwig. You didn't scream like a chicken, but you were spooked by it." I said to him.

"Huh... all right a bit than." Bigwig admitted, as I smiled.

"Wonder what's its for?" Fiver wondered.

"It's usually what farmers use to scare off crows, so that crows won't try to eat off the field." I answered.

"Well, even _Frith_ can't fathom the ways of 'man'." Hazel said, before turning towards me. "No offense, Andrew."

"No, not at all." I assured him. Hazel than started to sniff out for any sign of _Efrafa_.

"Come on, I can smell a river from here." We than followed Hazel, as he believed that a river is not far from here. The sky was nearly colorful, as the sun started to rise. I couldn't be able to go on, except take a short glimpse before moving on.

"Andrew, you coming?" Hazel called for me.

"I'm coming." I said, before I headed back to the group. "Sorry, the morning looked so beautiful that I had to take a short glimpse."

They took a short glimpse to see the colorful painted skies, as if it came out from a Thomas Cole landscape painting.

" _Frith_ does make the morning beautiful." Hazel praised.

I smiled. "Interesting way to put it."

"Do you believe in _Frith_?" he asked.

"No. I have a faith that I believe, as a Christian, but I'm..." I tried to answer, but I started to stumble.

"But what?" Hazel asked. I couldn't be able to say that I'm in a spiritual struggle, because I worked too hard in times since I finished community college and procrastinate at times that I never get much priority attention onto important things in life that I need: spending time with God and getting back into school.

"It's really hard to explain." I said, before I started to continue our way for the river. Hazel began to think that there things that I go through, that I didn't want to share with. He began to worry that I lost faith or simply that I'm a ghost of the world that nobody sees or cares.

 _I wonder what's wrong with him_. Hazel thought to himself, before joining everybody else.

* * *

When we arrived at the river, we saw a small wood plank, probably kids came by here to play or explore.

"Is the only way across the bridge. Up that way got is _Efrafa_ guards watching." Kehaar gave us the direction and the only way to cross the river to make it across, other than going all the way around.

"All those comfortable safe seasons at Sandleford, to think about the adventures we missed." Bigwig tries to reminisce about the old days back at Sandleford Warren.

"Autumns not being a problem lately, has it." Hazel said.

"Autumn? I thought it is late winter like around March." where I came, it was late January.

"I'm afraid not." Hazel stated. "Alright, who goes first?" he than asked one of us to volunteer.

"Unless I need to pull out some Scooby-Snack." I joked.

"What's a 'Scooby-Snack'?" Hazel asked.

"When I was a kid and even up to this day, I would still watch season one of _Scooby-Doo Where Are You_. Everytime the Mystery Inc. gang choose a dog named Scooby to venture a room or a spot, he would normally rejects because it was scary. Until they offered him a Scooby-Snack that encourages him to venture or investigate a room or spot." I explained.

Hazel chuckled. "A dog afraid?"

"Everybody could be afraid sometimes. Even dogs." I explained.

"I'm the smallest." Fiver volunteered.

"Wow, I guess you don't need one than." I joked.

"Very funny." Fiver smiled and shook his head. He than looked back ahead and tried to make sure the plank was well balanced enough. After the wag of his tail, he hopped to the other side and assured us it was safe. "It's fine, come on."

We than managed to make it across and started to enter around the territories of _Efrafa_. We managed to go into stealth mode, as we approached near the areas surrounding _Efrafa_. The first sights we saw was rabbits that were simply _silflaying_ around, however there were stronger and/or tough rabbits were supervising.

"Rabbits weren't meant to live like this." Fiver said.

"Which is worst, Cowslip's or Woundwort's?" I asked him.

"What makes you ask that?" he questioned.

"Well I mean to say if you had to choose one over the other." I explained.

"I'll just say both."

I started to think about the reality that anybody could be manipulated or controlled with no freedom. "I guess you made your point."

"The sentries of _Owsla_ rabbits arnen't watching for _elil_ , they're making sure no one escapes." Bigwig saw _Owsla_ rabbits on branches of a long and tall tree that is above their warren.

* * *

We than spotted two rabbits, who seemed to be living in the warren, were passing by us. Kehaar immediately remembers both of them rabbits.

"Kehaar knows these rabbits." Kehaar remembered, as he watches them.

"You know these guys?" I asked.

"There Blackavar, that tried to escape and Primrose." Kehaar points out the rabbits: Blackavar a brown with brown tan color fur with blue eyes.

Hazel went spellbound, as he first saw Primrose, the golden white doe, rabbit. "Primrose." I heard Hazel whispered to himself and looked back at the doe.

"Ah, forget it, boy-oh. It is like if angels fly out of your bottom as to get next to the likes of her." I quoted Tommy Ryan from _Titanic_ as Jack had his first sight on Rose and it was nearly relating to it, except that Primrose doesn't even know that we're here. We watched, as the two rabbits whisper and they started to head towards our direction.

"Primrose. Blackavar." Hazel started to call out for her, quietly.

"Jack, what are you doing?!" I asked quietly.

"Don't let them know we're here. I'm Hazel, we've come to get you out." Hazel told them. "Be ready when-"

"You two!" I heard a voice that I recognized from my patrol. Hazel went back into hiding with us and saw two rabbits coming towards Primrose and Blackavar. I saw the black with dark gray fur rabbit and the dark brownish rabbit I remembered seeing them.

"That's them!" I exclaimed in a whisper.

"Who?" Hazel asked.

"That's the two rabbits that Pipkin and I came across, before they could try to capture us." I pointed out the rabbits. "I know the fact that the brown rabbit is named Campion."

"You two are off your mark! No more _silflaying_!" the black dark gray rabbit shouted.

We heard a snap of stick that came from Fiver, accidentally cracking the stick. The two _Owsla_ rabbits started to suspect that they weren't alone and could discover our location.

"Run Blackavar!" Primrose shouted and the two tried to make a daring escape, only to be caught, before making in a mile.

"She saved us." Hazel said.

"Still think we can talk to this lot?" Bigwig asked.

"No. But I'm getting Primrose and Blackavar out of here." Hazel answered and changed his plans.

"I don't see how." Bigwig said.

"You can't be serious, we're basically could be pursued by an army. We may not be able to make it in a mile." I disagreed.

Fiver started to shiver with quiet gasps.

"What is it, Fiver?" me and Hazel asked.

 _The only way out is to go straight through. If three go in and out come three._ Fiver visioned and continued to feel the shiver after his vision.

"Well that as clear as mud." Bigwig said.

"What do you mean three?" I asked.

"I know you would be joining us." Fiver said.

"That doesn't mean that I would be coming out. Either at least one of you gets to go." I said.

"We can't risk losing you, even you can't find your way back. It's important to have you alive, until you're at home." Hazel said. "According to Fiver's vision, it means three of us have to go down there to get Blackavar, Primrose, and Andrew out."

"I'm not leaving without you guys being fried." I refused.

"Oh, be serious." Bigwig sighed.

"Bad idea, I'm thinking." Kehaar agrees also with Bigwig.

"Bigwig, Kehaar you stay here to back us up when we need it. If things go wrong..." Hazel began to think the inevitable for the worst. "If things go wrong, you take over Watership Down and make sure Andrew finds his way home, if he escapes with the both of you."

Bigwig and Kehaar nodded.

"Ready little brother?" Hazel asked Fiver.

"Times like this, I wish I didn't have visions and wish you didn't trust them." Fiver said.

"You never know if something could save your life." I reminded Fiver about his visions and the future.

"Are you ready, Andrew?" Hazel than asked me.

"Most definitely." I was ready.

"You don't have to do this." Hazel gave me an option to back out.

I sighed and took a minute, but I was certain. "If I wanted to stand up for myself for what I have done to that rabbit. I would make my case."

"I know you didn't do anything wrong, Andrew."

"I know that. More importantly is that I can't look forward to lose the two of you. You guys been very close to me as best friends that I could ever have."

Hazel and Fiver smiled.

"The honor is ours. We'll make sure to give you enough time to escape, if it goes wrong." Hazel said.

I decided to agree.

"You're mad, the three of you." Bigwig said.

"Thank goodness for that, because of I wasn't, it probably never work." I said a quote of Captain Jack Sparrow.

"Which that might just get you through this. And we'll be watching." Bigwig said.

Bigwig and Kehaar moved out to find a better spot to cover and see what is happening. "Good lucks!" Kehaar shouted.

"What's are our plan to get in?" I asked Hazel.

"Simple." Hazel smiled and the three headed towards the rabbits in their posts. I than realize that we're going to try to simply talk to them. The rabbits on guard started to surround us. Fiver was nervous that he got behind his big brother.

"Outsiders, what is your intrusion?" the black, dark gray rabbit spoke.

"Take me to your leader." Hazel answered. The _Efrafa_ rabbits were star-stricken that Hazel wanted to speak to their leader. However, they looked at me and remembered me right away.

"So, you also wanted to turn this 'human' in, also?" the black, dark gray rabbit asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said.

"Silence!" the rabbit spoke again.

Hazel placed his paw on my shoulder, as he was just letting me know that he won't turn me in. "No, he's with us."

"I suppose you heard what had happened to one of our patrol rabbits." Campion added.

"We're aware of what he has done, but it was not intentional." Hazel said.

"Either way, we'll take you to see General Woundwart, until then you're to be arrested." the first rabbit spoke.

* * *

We were than being escorted into the inside of the _Efrafa_ warren. There were so much of roots for one tree that nearly became an obstacle, it was also dark and glumly when we are in the tunnels. We than approach two rabbits guarding a boulder, until they rolled the boulder to see Primrose and Blackavar inside, as it was a prison cell. After we enter in the cell, the rabbits closed us off with them rolling the boulder, without us trying to escape.

"This is your plan?" I asked.

"Not meant to go like this, but it's worth it and we'll speak with Woundwart." Hazel answered.

"And thank you for backing me up." I thanked him.

"Your welcome. We'll make sure your name is cleared." he said.

"Only one way to find out."

"If only we are able to speak with him that is." Fiver added.

"So... they caught you anyway." Primrose said to Hazel.

"Actually, no, we gave ourselves up." Hazel said.

"Not exactly." I said sternly.

"And you came to get us out? Odd way of going about it." Blackavar said.

"I had to see you again, didn't I." Hazel said to Primrose that made her smile, I started to shake my head that Hazel is trying it, until I cleared my throat.

"Uh, where are my manners? This Fiver, my brother." Hazel introduced Fiver.

"Hello Fiver. Tell me, is your brother touched mad?" she asked.

"He has his moments." Fiver answered.

"And this is Andrew and a human traveler." Hazel introduced me.

I was nervous about meeting new rabbits, but I wasn't that nervous when I first met soon to be Watership Down rabbits. "Hi, it's nice to meet you."

"A human with rabbits?" Blackavar was surprised.

"How did you come here?" Primrose asked.

"It's really a long story, and there's no need to say about it, until we get out of here." I said.

"Where did you come from?" Blackavar asked.

"Well I came from Elk Grove, California." I answered.

"Elk Grove? California?" Blackavar and Primrose became confused.

"I'm sorry, I kept forgetting that I'm in another world." I apologized.

"Don't worry, Andrew. He comes from the human world and we're helping him also to return him home." Hazel explained.

"At least you're not imprisoned like us." Blackavar envies.

"Well it's not an easy life to put though." I said.

"Hazel, where did you and your brother come from?" he than asked Hazel.

"Oh yes, we come from our warren called Watership Down. It is a beautiful place, you can see the hills, skies, and stars forever. And wind blows clean and free-"

"Don't talk about your warren anymore." Primrose said. "I don't want to hear it."

"What's wrong Primrose?" Hazel asked.

"In _Efrafa_ , it's best not to dream of a better place. Because you always wake up to these walls." Blackavar explains.

"Dreams do help to find a better place. It's best to dream about it and one day being free, rather than regretting it." I added.

"I know, but it's difficult to be free because, every time you try to escape, you keep being brought back here." Primrose said.

I sighed in despair, because they felt like they have given up. "You can't give up, just because you keep being caught and brought back. You two just have to believe that you can find a better place, just ask Hazel and Fiver." We than heard the boulder being rolled over to be open the cell to see the two guarded rabbits with the black and dark gray rabbit smirking.

"Remember Andrew, just speak nothing, but the truth. We'll get you through this." Hazel assured me with a gentle smile.

I nodded back.

"Good news Primrose. You and Blackavar are being freed." the smirking rabbit spoke to Primrose.

"That's a relief." I whispered to Hazel.

"Everyone gets to see Woundwart to deal with these three. Especially, the human facing his trial for murder." the smirking rabbit spoke again. I wasn't surprised that we're about to face Woundwart, because one would be for Hazel wanting to free Primrose and Blackavar, however the second would be on my shoulders regarding to _Efrafa_ 's fallen comrade.

"Please follow us to the gathering place." he instructed us to follow. We than left our cell and followed them.

"What did you do to put yourself on trial?" Primrose asked.

I remained silent and rather not to speak about it. Hazel knew I didn't want to speak about it.

"He was being accused of murdering one of their patrolled rabbits." Hazel spoke for me.

Primrose was surprised and the first to hear that a man murdered a rabbit and being put on trial. When we got there, everyone including the _Owsla_ rabbits, including the rabbits living here, as prisoners. At one point, as I was looking around the gathering room, I saw another human, but a young woman. She has brown hear with hazel-blue eyes, but she was torn in clothes from living this condition. I immediately, started to have the first love at first sight. She than noticed me and gazed at me. She looked beautiful, even though I wanted to know her more.

"Blackavar, whose that?" I asked.

"Surprised to see another human in our world. Her name is Sandy. She came from your world, but I forgotten how she did. However, she was caught by the _Efrafa_ patrol and sent here. She is also trying to get back to here human world, like you're trying to do." Blackavar told me.

I than headed towards the center of the stage and saw Hazel and Fiver were coming towards me, as they were being escorted.

"Hazel." I heard Primrose voice calling out to him. I watched them, assuming that Hazel is telling them to have hope and believe. At one point Primrose's paw touched Hazel's paw. It was a bit heart warming for the fact that Hazel found his only true love. Campion than interrupted their love moment and Hazel crawled back towards me.

"Wow, it seems you're in love." I admit. Hazel simply smiled, until we saw big giant black rabbit, that we could barely see his face, because it was all black and figured it was none other than General Woundwart.

"Before I could answer the question to choose war or peace and life or death, I would like as this young man about him murdering one of our _Owsla_ bucks." he spoke.

I cleared my throat and stepped forward. "I have accidentally killed one of your bucks in self-defense because he was threatening me and a friend of my."

"So you did, didn't you?" he asked.

"Well, I didn't mean to. It was in accident at the same time. I didn't mean too." I explained.

"As man cause accidents or purposes, I can cause accidents or purposes too." he said.

I gulped in fear, as Hazel placed his paw on my shoulder, as did Fiver. "You're doing alright." Hazel gently whispered in compliment for keeping myself calm.

"I suppose you're defending... 'a human'?" General Woundwart spoke.

"Yes, I am." Hazel stated.

"Since when is it right for a rabbit, to meddle with 'man'?" Woundwart questioned.

"It doesn't matter. It appears, according to Andrew, not all humans, such as himself kills rabbits." Hazel proclaimed.

"Than you made a mistake, as it'll soon cost you." Woundwart mocked.

Hazel still was determined to keep me alive at all cost, until I'm back home.

"Now, you ask which I prefer: war or peace, life or death... I answer war."

I knew that General Woundwart would prefer war over peace, so basically he's more of resemblance to Napoleon, Hitler, or to say Shere Khan from _The Jungle Book_. For one of the reasons that he hates man.

"You ask which I prefer: life or death... I answer death." General Woundwart made his decision. "All your questions are answered, execute them on my command."

The three of us gasped, as General Woundwart decided to execute us both. His _Owsla_ rabbits surrounded us, with no chance of either the three of us escape.

 _This can't be happening! What about freeing Primrose and Blackavar instead of them staying here to rot?! This isn't for anything at all, it's all in vain_! I thought to myself, as a rabbit in front was prepared to strike, when General Woundwart gives the order.

 _To Be Continued..._.


	16. Episode 5: The Shadow of Efrafa Part 3

The Shadow of Efrafa Part 3

The three of us surrounded by Campion, the black-gray rabbit, and three other strong rabbits were about to execute us. I never thought my life would be ending that soon.

"Unless, outsiders... where is your warren? Tell me and live." General Woundwart halted the execution for the last moment until he decided to ask Hazel where his warren is.

"I can't do that, General." Hazel refuses to answer.

General Woundwart begins to growl and noticed his legs flinched, from his paws piercing the ground. "Unless the human is willing to answer, and be free."

I remained silent in mute, alike Giles Corey during the Salem Witch Trials. However, Woundwart began to ask me again, again, and again creating pressure, even the stronger rabbits, who were about to execute us, try to question me, as well, as it was interrogation. The yelling, being in the middle, manipulation, and the tone intensifies, as I covered my ears and became anxious, before I could start losing.

Hazel and Fiver knew that I was willing not to give away their home location. They were about to comfort me.

"STOP IT! I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEIR WARREN IS! EVEN IF I KNOW, I'LL NEVER GIVE YOU THE LOCATION! I came from Elk Grove, California, in the United States of America. If I had to return back to my world and if you were real and still alive, I would be happy to put you in court for violating my rights as a human being! As well for treating everyone here as slaves! You probably have the Napoleon and/or Hitler inside you! Why do you this?! WHY?!" I screamed in rage, as the little flame sparked and it started to flame all over my skull. I than started to shed a tear from the fact that I hardly stood up for myself for long and it was rare that I did.

General Woundwart was bit less nervous, unlike with the other rabbits became frightened, except Hazel and Fiver. Primrose and Blackavar were surprised that it took someone to step up to someone that how someone treats another is poor and unjust. I noticed the girl named Sandy was surprised of my outburst.

"It's alright, Andrew. And thank you." Hazel and Fiver smiled as I didn't give Woundwart the location.

Woundwart than began to laugh to show that he wasn't intimidated from my rage outburst. "It appears that the outsiders came from another warren. A great one he claims. I'll destroy it and his people will become mine, obey and live through me. As for the human, he is the threat to our existence, as they destroyed our homes and lives. For those who refuse to live in mine way, will die! Strike them!"

The _Owsla_ rabbits were about to execute us, as Woundwart was about to leave. My hand was on my switchblade for defending Hazel and Fiver, including myself. Before the rabbits could strike us. Fiver let out a scream like he was in pain.

 _Darkhaven is destroyed!_ Fiver shouted in a vision.

"Fiver?" I tried to wake him up.

"Hold!" I heard General Woundwart halted the execution. "He said _Darkhaven_."

"What's _Darkhaven_?" I asked.

"My old warren." Woundwart answered.

 _Fire in the field... the man with a gun... save him Laurel._ Fiver continues.

"Hazel, what's happening?" I asked him quietly.

"I don't know, I think he's visioning about Woundwart's past." Hazel guessed.

"Clear the gathering place! Everyone underground" Woundwart ordered everyone to go underground, except Campion and the black-gray rabbit. He than makes his way down to see what Fiver was doing and why.

When he hopped down, he thought it was unnatural that another rabbit knows about death. "Only _The Black Rabbit of Inle_ could know these things."

 _A weasel coming through the bushes. Getting closer and closer... smelling the blood. Too tired to run away... too tired to run._ Fiver visioned.

General Woundwart felt like he was going back to a certain part of his life that regard his warren's destruction and the loss of a loved one he knew. "Get out of my head!"

After Fiver's vision, he fall from his back and went into a faint, as Hazel and myself catch his fall.

"Who are you and what in _Frith's_ is he and this 'man'?" General Woundwart questioned us, as the rabbit started to surrounded us again and Fiver regained consciousness.

"I told you. We are from a great warren. Our _Owsla_ are as many as the stars. Silent as the night and they are all around us." Hazel spoke boldly. Nothing was silent, but the wind, however it did put a bluff and intimation at the same time. Suddenly, we saw the bushes started to shake, as there were rabbits surrounding us. Than I remembered it was only Bigwig and Kehaar moving around in the bushes. I decided to stay silent without giving it away or trying to boast, to make the _Efrafa_ rabbits it is false. I noticed Campion was getting into a intention that he would dare try to challenge the _Owsla_ army.

"I wouldn't Campion." Hazel warned him. Campion than started to move a little back away from him.

"You've seen what Fiver can do, harm us and his dark spirit will torment you forever." Hazel warned General Woundwart.

Leaving Woundwart indecisive for this decision, Hazel, Fiver, and myself made our opportunities to escape without Blackavar, Primrose, and even Sandy. We went downhill and climbed all the way back up to the top and went through the bushes, where we regrouped with Bigwig and Kehaar.

"You're alright! Where's Blackavar and Primrose?" Bigwig asked.

Hazel than remembers about them and he made a sad expression that he forgot about them. "We couldn't be able to get them out."

"I'm sorry." Bigwig apologized.

"It's alright, we'll come back soon, but now we need to make our chances to leave, before they could track us." Hazel suggested. Without thinking twice we started to head on our way where we came from.

* * *

We than made it over to the farming fields and tried to hurry before they could follow us to capture us.

" _Efrafa_ Rabbits are close!" Kehaar shouted to us.

"They're onto us!" Hazel exclaimed and we started to run for it. We're about to be half way and noticed that Fiver started to slow down, because he was running out of breath to run. The three of us came back towards him.

"Fiver, are you alright?!" I asked.

"I'm fine. Don't wait for me, keep going." Fiver said and wanted us to leave him behind.

"We're not going to leave you behind, little brother." Hazel protested.

"Run you half-sized, puddle of frog water or I'll slap your ears!" Bigwig pushed Fiver to keep going and let him run first, only to not leave him behind. The _Efrafa_ rabbits were gaining onto us.

"We need an idea of distraction!" Bigwig exclaimed.

I started to remember about the scarecrow. "I got it! Kehaar, try to slow the _Efrafa_ rabbits down, as I come up with a distraction!"

"He's right!" he than turned around and started to dive at them and fly back up, repeating the cycle.

"What's your distraction?" Hazel asked.

"You guys cover the tracks when get to the scarecrow, and I'll be in disguised as one." I said.

"Becoming 'a man trick'? I don't get it." Bigwig said.

"It's alright. Just cover the tracks and I'll be right behind you." I persuaded them. They nodded their heads and started to cover their tracks, when we got towards the scarecrow, I started to climb up.

"Andrew?!" Hazel shouted.

"I'll be fine. Trust me." I assured them. "Now go!"

They looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders and continued on to cover their tracks further on their way out. I continued to climb on the scarecrow, until I managed to reach it's head, I cut some of the arm parts with my switchblade and stuffed them inside the scarecrow. I than covered myself with straw and managed to control with the rest of the arms, as the scarecrow.

"Kehaar, get out of here!" I shouted for him. I than saw him flew away and assumed that he started to follow Hazel and the others. I than made a simple frozen face, as I saw the _Efrafa_ rabbits coming in. It was General Woundwart, Campion, and the black-gray rabbit and became spooked from seeing the scarecrow. Than they decided to sniff around to find Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, and myself.

"Campion, Vervain, start sniffing for the outsiders!" General Woundwart instructed them. They started to sniff and the trails went cold.

"But General, where would they have gone too? Their trails is untraceable." Vervain spook. It was my time to shine, as an actor.

"Pardon me gentlemen, that way is a very nice way." I pointed the direction to my left. They jumped and looked around to find out, whose voice came out of no where.

"Whose there?! Show yourself!" General Woundwart spoke.

"General, I believe the only voice it could possibly be is that 'fake man'." Campion suggested, as he stared at me without spotting me.

"Don't be silly, Campion! Fake 'man tricks' don't talk." Vervain disagrees.

"It's pleasant down that way too." I than spoke and pointed to my right.

They froze and started to suspect me.

"Strange 'fake man', wasn't he just pointing the other way?" General Woundwart questioned his men.

"Of course, people do go both ways." I spoke again, this time pointing both directions left and right. They looked back at me and realized that a 'man trick' is speaking to them.

"Why he did say something?" General Woundwart questioned. I started to shake my head "yes" and "no".

"Who are you? Are you doing it on purpose or can't you just make your mind?! Vervain questioned.

"That's the trouble. I can't make up my mind. I haven't got a brain, only straw." I than showed them some bits of straw.

"That's impossible!" Vervain disbelieves.

"How can you talk without it?" Campion asked.

I pretended to be dumb and try to think. "I don't know, but some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't they?"

"Maybe, why don't you show us your arms." Campion tries to uncover my disguise.

"You mean like this?" I was still in character, that I accidentally showed them my real arms. "Oops."

"It's that human! He's one of them!" Campion discovered me.

"I don't care, if they got _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_! After him!" General Woundwart ordered his men.

I than cut the cut the scarecrow and the arms with hay straw tumbled on the rabbits. I than jumped down. "Just keep picking it up and putting back in again." I than ran off towards the same direction where Hazel and the others took. I continued to run, until I managed to reach towards the crossing of the river. I started to run on the wood plank, but it started to wobble. I than had to balance myself and walked slowly, as I was a tightrope walker. Successfully, I managed to cross to the other side and saw some footprints.

 _I guess they headed down the same path where we came from_. I said to myself. As I was about to run deep into the woods, I saw _Efrafa_ rabbits coming towards my way.

"I'm over here you, morons! Come and get me!" I shouted at them and they hopped towards my direction. Woundwart made it across the plank, Campion started halfway and noticed it was about to lose balance, as Vervain came in.

"Vervain wait!" Campion shouted. Vervain was inwardly focused on pursing me and the rabbits, that he hopped onto the plank and it lost balanced. They ended up being on the river, holding onto the wood. Woundwart looked back at them, as they were washed away where the water was taking them.

"You giving up, now Woundwart or your thirsty for more." I taunted, before I ran quickly towards the woods.

* * *

Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, and Kehaar stopped at the tracks for a short rest.

"Are you alright, Fiver?" Hazel asked.

"I'm fine. Hopefully, Andrew is alright too." Fiver worried.

"I hope so too. He knew what he was trying to do." Hazel agreed.

"I'm sure he'll be alright." Bigwig reassured. "Kehaar, we may be able to find our way back from here. Start heading back and keep an eye out for _elil_ ahead."

Kehaar nodded and flies off. As they watched at the other side to see if Andrew was able to distract them enough and find his way to them.

"I'm here!" I shouted.

"Andrew!" The three shouted and were surprised that I found my way back towards them.

"I managed to lose two, but Woundwart isn't giving up yet." I took a short breath.

"That's good news." Hazel said. We than heard a train was coming towards our way. At the same time, we saw Woundwart coming out from the woods and headed towards us. The three of them left the tracks, as I remain where I was.

"Andrew, what are you doing this time?! Get off the tracks!" Hazel shouted, as Bigwig and Fiver joined him.

"Over here, you big horse's ass! _I fooled you, I fooled you, I got pig-iron, I got pig-iron, I got alllll pig-iron_!" I shouted at Woundwart. He hopped down and started to make his upwards towards the tracks. I than saw the train was coming close that I jumped off the tracks and joined Hazel and the others to hide in the bushes.

"Are you barmy, mad?!" Bigwig questioned me.

"Not yet." I gasped for air.

"I'll find you outsiders and your human! The world isn't a big enough place to hide. I'll hunt you till _Frith_ falls from the sky, outsiders! Do you hear me?!" General Woundwart swore before he headed back towards his warren.

"Well this airing, wasn't exactly smashing success. No recruits, and lucky to get out in one piece." Bigwig said.

"And we made an enemy, who won't rest until Watership Down is destroyed." Fiver said.

"There's always a saying, 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer.'" I quoted.

"I'm sure your 'human words' haven't warn us down just yet." Bigwig added.

"Close?" I asked.

He started to think to himself. "Well, not yet though." We both smiled back.

"What happened to you back there, Fiver?" Hazel asked him. "I never seen a vision take you that way."

"Yeah, it was like you were in his head and seeing his past or something." I wondered the same thing.

"I hope it never does again. Woundwart is full of hate, fear, and loss." Fiver said.

"Same as it goes for Hitler and other people in the world, past and present, and lost." I added.

"Whose Hitler?" Fiver asked.

"He was a nasty leader, almost alike to Woundwart, but manipulates his own people, singles out blame on groups of individuals opposite to his kind, and treats them like prisoners and slaves, and I don't want to go further on how he does it." I answered.

"Either way Fiver, it saved our lives." Hazel praised Fiver's vision, as it saved all of us from being captured.

"I have to commend that. And thank you." I agreed.

"'If three goes in, out comes three.'" Bigwig recalled Fiver's earlier vision.

Hazel felt disappointed on himself. "And only two left behind."

"Make that three." I added. "I saw someone else there like me and wanted to escape."

"Another human?" Hazel couldn't believe it.

"How on _Frith's_ name another human came here?" Bigwig questioned.

"I don't know. It was only a short glimpse and the person was gone." I answered. "And I'm sorry about Primrose and Blackavar, Hazel."

Hazel looked up at the sky. "We'll be back."

Bigwig knew that Hazel wanted to go back to _Efrafa_ to get Primrose and Blackavar out, but he knows it won't happen today. "Not today, chum."

"We'll come back for them another day." I said, as I placed my hand on his shoulder.

Hazel pulled himself together and nodded back, than we headed our way back to Watership Down.

* * *

Hours after we made our way back to Watership Down, nearly everyone was asleep. I couldn't be able to get the picture of Sandy out of my head, as I was trying to sleep. I decided to head outside of the warren to look at the evening stars to make myself tired. When I exited out of the warren, I saw Hazel was out there too and doing the same. I had two of my blankets with me and the night became cold, as I walked out of the warren and sat next to him. I lay down a blanket and started to give him one, until he looked at me.

"What are doing? You should try be getting some sleep." Hazel said.

"I couldn't sleep, so I decided to walk out here and I didn't know, you were going to be out here." I said.

"That's alright. I couldn't sleep either, without thinking Primrose." he said.

"I couldn't stop thinking about someone I spotted back in _Efrafa_." I said.

"Another human you were saying earlier?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yes, what I have been told from Blackavar that her name was Sandy. He told me also that she was caught, as she first came to this world." I said, while referring 'this world' as the rabbit's world.

"I guess you were correct about Fiver's vision 'if three goes in, out comes three'." Hazel recalled Fiver's vision.

I than tried again to give him one of mine blankets, until he looked back at me again, from watching the stars. "Sorry, I was wanting to give this blanket, because I thought you would be cold, a bit."

Hazel smiled. "It's alright and thank you." I gave him a blanket to keep him warm, as I smiled back at him, before looking back at the stars again.

"So, while distracting Woundwart and the others, how did you lose them?" he asked.

"I simply acted as The Scarecrow from _The Wizard of Oz_ , however it was short lived after I accidentally showed them my real hands, as I meant to show them with the scarecrow arms.

Hazel chuckled. "Well, I must say it was a brilliant trick."

I smiled. "Yeah, I even impersonated The Scarecrow's voice to try to make it convincing. So much of watching movies so long that I could easily impersonate someone."

"Movies?"

"Movies are moving pictures that humans watch on TVs or televisions where they watch them at home." I explained to him.

"So... what I've been told from Bigwig and experiencing from what I saw from you, how did you... know how to defend yourself or try to do tricks like we do?" Hazel was curious.

"What I seen from movies, read books, playing video game, and more importantly learning from parents so that I do not to be taken advantage from anybody." I answered.

Hazel nodded. "I'm surprised that you took it to adopt it, while training in the _Owsla_. You must have some unique life beyond this world."

"Not exactly unique life. I have high-functioning Autism." I added.

"Autism? What is it?" Hazel asked.

"It's a developmental disorder that affects my brain on how I communicate or take part of social activities. It also shows signs of routine patterns that I repeat certain cycles or activities non-stop or until I'm finished. I also can't be able to express my full emotions, for example I couldn't be able to speak Woundwart, regarding to his pressure along with the other _Efrafa_ _Owsla_ rabbits adding more pressure. I can't be able to talk to anyone from loud noises." I explained.

Hazel was a bit shocked, but more surprised to learn about my disability that I hardly shared with anyone, except the people I knew. "No matter if you are considered to have a 'disorder' or having a vision like to Fiver's, you do have goodness inside you, even after how you treated everyone here."

I saw a shooting star pass through quickly. "Hazel, don't you ever make a wish upon a star?"

Hazel think for a second, as he looked at the stars. "No, but we believe that each stars are different worlds that _Frith_ creates."

"Interesting way. I believed God created those stars to shine the night, even if they're planets or not. It makes the night beautiful." I said.

"If I don't mind asking, whose God?" Hazel asked.

"God, is who created the world, animals, humans, and universe, he even sent his son Jesus to the world to teach us about loving God and your neighbors: friend or foe, also dying on the cross for our sins, and rose again from his grave." I answered. "I still go through the struggle of my spiritual health, because I worked and procrastinate."

"Don't give up your faith, Andrew. Keep believing. And I know if you keep believing, I'm sure He might be able to help you get home." Hazel said.

"You're right. However, if I was sent here for a reason, I need to fill the purpose what He wanted me to do as well." I added.

Hazel started to yawn, as he began to feel tired. "I suggest we should get some sleep."

"Me too, hopefully the blanket is keeping you warm." I said.

"It is. Thank you very much." We than lie on the blanket I set down and Hazel shared the blanket with me. "You don't want to get cold also than I do." We both smiled back, as I thanked him and we both watched the stars, before we fell sleep outside, as the stars and the moon shined upon us.

 _To Be Continued..._


	17. Episode 6: The Raid Part 1

The Raid Part 1

Days after our lucky escape from _Efrafa_ , we had to find different ways to have new rabbits to join the warren. I haven't seen much of Hannah part of the days, possibly either snatching food for herself in homes and/or finding rabbits on her own. Yesterday, I ended up hearing debates over finding new rabbits or just simply keeping the way it is currently. It was hard for me to sleep, because of the arguments and debates they made. However, the true reason is that I keep waking up at night regarding to dreams and then waking up feeling ache on my side because of the dirt and rocks.

When I get those things, I ended up sleeping outside to hear the wind cool nights blow and bright stars and the moon shining down. Unexpectedly at the same night, I woke up from having a terrifying dream. I was with Hazel, Fiver, and Pipkin trying to free some rabbits, until it went wrong that a cat separated me and Hazel from Pipkin, Fiver, and some rabbits. When Hazel and I managed to escape ourselves from the cat, the dog started to bark at us and more likely alerting the farmer that resides. Hazel and I were running as fast as we can to escape, until I heard a gunshot! I stopped to look where the shot came from, until I noticed Hazel wasn't with me. I went back to find him wounded from a shot on the leg. He begged me to leave and look out for the others, but I couldn't leave him as the farmer came up to us than shot the both us, resulting me to wake up from the dream.

When I got outside, it was the same kind of night it was before, calm winds and bright stars and moon. I felt like it was premonition, like Fiver has seen in his visions, but I didn't want to think about it, because it would be reality. I decided to sleep for the night, with my sleeping bag and my blankets to keep me warm.

Once the morning came, I woke up to hear a rooster call out in the morning. The sun was still in the midst of rising and the colorful painted skies is scattered near the sun. I looked at my phone and I haven't received a since my termination. Unlocking my phone's screen, I decided to look at my gallery to look at my family pictures: trips at the beach, visiting my mother's house, and simply being with my family. At one of the pictures, I saw my younger adopted sibling. Feeling home sick and missing her with the rest of my family.

 _I'll find my home, I promise._ I said to myself.

* * *

When I started to get my blankets together and start to head towards the warren, I saw Hazel peeking his head and giving us the jump.

"Oh, good morning Andrew, I haven't see you there." Hazel friendly greeted me.

"Me neither, I'm sorry. And good morning." I said.

He sniffed around the entrance, until he got out. He than stretched out his body and then started to shake his head.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"I'm alright. Just... my ears itch that's all." he said, as he started to scratch his ears. I couldn't help giggle inside, because he started scratch ears like a dog when a dog's ear itches.

"What are you giggling about?" he asked.

"You scratching your ears sure does remind me of dogs when they're doing it." I joked, however he didn't see it as a joke. "I guess it was a distaste, sorry."

"Don't worry. My real question is about to ask you, why are you out here all night?"

"I couldn't sleep." I said.

"Another bad dream." he guessed.

"Yes and I couldn't sleep from the..." I couldn't be able to tell him of the arguments and debate keeping me up, because I would hurt their feelings if I did. "...a dream I had."

"A certain dream?" he asked.

"We were trying to find rabbits that would join us, but we than came across with a hunter... and you were shot." I said, as I partially made some of it up without revealing the location where it actually happened.

"And everybody else?"

I shook my head. "I don't know, I don't think so. It's just that we been in some dangerous situations and I don't want you to get hurt." I worried.

Hazel felt some sympathy from me worrying about him, because he was nearly executed by Woundwart and re-captured. "You don't need to worry about me. I'll be fine and nothing would happen to any of us, even you." After feeling his embrace from a pat on the shoulder, I decided to trust him and we started to watch the sun rise for a new day.

"It's beautiful, ain't it?" we heard a voice and saw that it was Hannah.

"Good morning, Hannah." I greeted.

"Yes, indeed a lovely morning." Hazel said.

"Seems like you two are getting along nice, even at night and morning." Hannah said.

Hazel and I looked at each other. "Well yes, he's my friend, along with everybody else." I said.

"Either way, you two are up early. Are you two going somewhere special?" she asked.

"Who says we were?" Hazel asked.

"Guessed. My guesses are usually right." Hannah answered.

"I'm not sure where I'm going." Hazel said.

"We're just watching the sun rise. Have either of you seen a golden sunrise?" I asked.

"Not much at all." Hannah answered.

"Back at Sandleford, Fiver and I would watch _Frith_ rise for a new day. One time, I would see that he made the skies orange or golden colors before rising." Hazel reminisced. "I sure do miss those days with Fiver."

Speaking much about sunrises and golden colors remind me of a movie and book I read when two friends talked about golden sunrises. And one of them recite a poem.

 _Nothing gold can stay_. I said.

"I beg your pardon?" Hazel asked me, as he and Hannah turned around at me.

 _Nature's first green is **gold** , Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. __Nothing gold can stay._ I recite a poem by Robert Frost that Ponyboy recited in the movie.

"The poem sounded very beautiful, where did you learn it?" Hazel asked with praise.

"The poem was by Robert Frost, who was a poet. However, the poem was used in a novel called _The Outsiders_ that I read and also in the movie with the same title as the novel. Ponyboy and Johnny watched the sunrise and talked about it and the poem that Ponyboy recited. It was almost like we're doing right now. Even you and Fiver had done as well." I answered.

"I must we did and you and I are doing it as well." Hazel smiled.

"Everybody could simply say they know what it was like from taking a photo of it. However, if you just watched it and told about it with someone, you could get the real glimpse of it. I'm sure you two, even Fiver could understand, unlike Bigwig, Hawkbit, and Dandelion. Maybe Primrose, Blackberry, Pipkin, and even Sandy." I added.

"Whose Sandy?" Hannah asked.

"Another human that Andrew met." Hazel said and started to give a smile smirk.

"Oh come on! You were star gazing at Primrose when you first saw her, so let's not take it too far." I said as the three of us laughed, until Hazel remembered about his promise and Primrose.

"What's wrong, Hazel?" I asked him, as his smile faded.

"Andrew, Hannah, do either of you think about the future?" he asked.

"Next meal that's far enough head for thinking." she said and I slapped my forehead with my hand, while shaking.

"What about next Winter, next Spring? That sort of future." Hazel asked what he meant.

"I do, however I'm not really sure where my future is right now, because on conflict of interests of college and of course being here." I said.

"Now, I know why you're up so early." Hannah figured it out.

"So, it's not between me and Hazel." I joked.

Hannah laughed. "No! Hazel, you're not thinking you're worrying. Big difference."

"Oh." I said.

"You're right, Hannah. Ever since I went to _Efrafa_." Hazel admits. I knew he was worrying about Primrose, however he did made his promise and one day we'll fulfill it on his word.

"Oh shut up! That terrible place makes me shiver when I hear stories." Hannah shivered.

"Not everything about _Efrafa_ is bad." Hazel said.

"Oh now I see... you thinking about Primrose." Hannah said.

"Ooooohhhhhhh... Hazel..." I teased.

"Yes I... hope she's part of my future." Hazel stuttered.

I continued to chuckle to a laugh.

"I'm sure I won't have to say about 'Sandy' and I could go on with that, with Hawkbit's and Dandelion's help." he than said with a stern look and my laugh stopped.

"I guess won't take that chance." I spoke.

"However, I've got to think about everybody's tomorrows." Hazel said to me and Hannah.

"That's what a leader would say, when he thinks and/or worries about the future." I said.

"I know, but without more of us on the down, we won't have any." Hazel added.

"So, you need rabbits and I know where you can find them." Hannah said and we followed her away from the warren.

* * *

We followed Hannah, as she led us overlooking the same farm, where we first found some vegetables on the way to the downs.

"That's the same farm, where you first met us." I remembered.

"Even though I wish it was in a better circumstance. Also, at the farm where they keep rabbits." she said.

"There's rabbits there?" Hazel asked.

"In cages, farm rabbits. Get them out to come here." Hannah said.

I than started to remember the dream and it came back to me by a quick flashback, however it was brief until I saw Hazel nodding his head.

"Alright, I'll get them out." Hazel decided.

Hannah began on her way, but she came back us. "Oh, by the way Hazel, there's one bunny I met down at the farm."

"A certain rabbit you know?" I asked.

"He goes by Tyler. If you see him, Hazel, tell him I said 'hello', okay?" Hannah said to Hazel.

"How will I know who Tyler is?" Hazel asked.

"Simple. He's about as little as a newborn rabbit, has black fur, wears one piece of 'human clothing' called a vest, and... he carries a mysterious human device with him. From what I remember, he calls it a Zune." Hannah said to Hazel.

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Hannah."

"You're welcome, Hazel. Oh, and one more thing you must know... Tyler usually sings human songs. So don't be surprised if you hear singing once you're on Nuthanger Farm." Hannah said, before she left.

"I'll keep that in mind too." Hazel called out to her, as she left.

"A bunny singing human songs? Never heard of that before, it'll interesting though. Also with the Zune player." I said.

"Either way, we'll make sure we get him out and with everybody trapped in the cages." Hazel said.

"We? Me and you?" I questioned.

Hazel chuckled. "Not just the both of us, with some extra help."

* * *

We headed our way back to the warren, the sun was fully risen. In the warren, everyone else was still asleep and wandered through the tunnels.

"I guess we're getting Bigwig and the _Owsla_ for this?" I asked.

"Nope. If we're just getting rabbits from the cages, it shouldn't be too difficult." Hazel said. We got to Fiver's burrow, he was sleeping like a baby.

"Wow, I never get so much of that beauty sleep your brother is having for a long time." I envied.

"When he's not having bad dreams and visions in sleep." Hazel smiled and watches his brother sleep peacefully. "Fiver?"

Fiver moved a bit in his leaf bed, as he was still dreaming.

"Fiver, are you awake?" Hazel asked.

Fiver than turned over to us and yawned.

"Good morning." Hazel and I said.

"Good morning all..." Fiver said, as he yawned once again. "And I was enjoying a very nice dream, if you don't mind."

"Hate having good dreams come to an end?" I asked.

"Of course." Fiver said, before trying to go back to sleep, like a kid doesn't want to get out of bed, after being wakened up by their parents and telling their child "it's time for school."

"Oh now, you could dream any other time. Come on, we got work to do." Hazel nuzzled Fiver to wake him up.

We than left Fiver's burrow and continued down the path through the tunnel in the warren and unexpectedly, I saw Pipkin coming down our path and knocked me down to the ground. I turned to see he was on the ground too.

"Oh, good morning all and sorry Andrew." Pipkin greeted and apologized.

"No, no that really felt good, it just started my morning. I'm joking with you. I'm alright. Slept well?" I said.

"Why yes, I was just going up for _silflay_. I've been running about it in my dreams and the exercise made me hungry." Pipkin added.

"How about adventure instead?" Hazel offered Pipkin to come with us.

"Oh, yes please Hazel. Can we eat something on the way please."

"I guess breakfast is the most important meal of the deal." I stated.

When we got outside of the warren, we started to head our way down, until we heard Kehaar calling out for the morning and soaring down towards us. Luckily, Hazel and Fiver got out of the way quickly and Pipkin nearly close, except I was bumped into Kehaar, as he crashed landed on the grass. Hazel, Fiver, and Pipkin couldn't help but laugh.

"Owwww..." I said.

"Oh, sorry Andrew, Kehaar slip on grass. Stupid grass." Kehaar curses at the grass.

"That's me when my foot hits something and I curse at it too." I chuckled.

"Where are you going?" Kehaar asked the four of us.

"On an adventure." Pipkin answered. "On a hungry adventure."

"Eat something then, you too Fiver and Andrew. We all have to be silent and stealthy. I can hear your rumbling stomachs from here." Hazel told us to eat, before we leave. I saw Fiver and Pipkin eating grass, luckily I managed to grab my travel pack, but I was on shortage of food.

"Well, I'm the only one, who doesn't have food." I sadly said.

"Why not try the grass?" Hazel offered me to try some grass.

"Grass. I only drink grass wheat shots, but I never ate grass, before." I said.

"Oh try some Andrew, it's delicious." Pipkin said. I than looked at the grass.

 _Well, I don't think anybody couldn't have walked through it_ _, since people aren't around these areas, except animals_. I said to myself. I than picked up a handful of grass and I started to eat the handful. Everybody watched, as they saw the first human eating grass. After I swallowed, the after taste was a bit bad.

"How is it?" Fiver asked.

"It's not bad. Not great than grass wheat shots." I said. Everybody laughed and I chuckled from eating it.

"Don't worry, if we find something on the way, you'll be able to eat it." Hazel assured me after his laugh.

"I'll be fine, it's common that I don't eat breakfast in the morning, as much as I used to." I said.

"Now, we're just going to the farm down there to find some new rabbits, including one by the name of Tyler." Hazel announced to us.

"Oh... finding a girlfriend, for Hazel?" Kehaar joked into laugh and I joined in it too for a brief time.

"No, no that's not it at all. Maybe for Andrew in that case." Hazel than joked.

"Hey!" I shouted.

"Not for Kehaar. Kehaar knows all about love." Kehaar added.

"What's all about going to the farm?" Fiver asked.

"Is that a problem?" Hazel questioned him.

"It might be." Fiver answered.

Even Pipkin thought it might be a problem as well. "Have you forgotten about the cat?"

"No, I haven't forgotten about the cat. Or the dog." Hazel remembered.

"A dog down there too?" I questioned.

"Yes." Hazel answered.

"Okay."

"A dog down there too, I forgotten about all about him." Pipkin remembered also.

"We're going to rescue farm rabbits. I can't do it alone." Hazel said.

"No, I suppose not." Pipkin than agreed, but uncomfortable.

"You'll be our lookout, Pipkin." Hazel pointed Pipkin to that task. "To warn us if the cat and/or dog coming. It's the most important job."

"The most important job."

"Yes, now it's time to move on." Hazel said and looked at Kehaar. "Tell the others, 'we'll soon have something to celebrate, new members of the warren.'"

"A new lady rabbit, I think." Kehaar joked.

The four of us smiled and shook our heads, before we headed off to the farm, as Kehaar flew back to the top of the hill.

"I thought you liked Primrose." Fiver said to Hazel.

"Oh, don't listen to him. He's full of fish." Hazel said.

"Kehaar, a fish or me?" I questioned.

"No. Both you and Kehaar." Hazel joked, as the three of them laughed.

"Oh, that's not fair, ha ha. I'll get you back for this." I suggested to make a promise that I would get back at Hazel in a good time.

"Good luck with that." Hazel wished me the best of luck. And the games a foot.

 _To Be Continued..._


	18. Episode 6: The Raid Part 2

The Raid Part 2

The four of us arrived at the farm, as it looked quiet as usual, but different since it's our first time coming here in a clear day. Carton containers were by a farmhouse, possibly milk from cows. We were at a broken stone hedge by the farm.

"Ready?" Hazel asked all of us.

"It sure does look different since we first came here." I said.

"Oh yes Hazel, I'm ready." Pipkin was nervous because he recalls mainly the cat.

"What about you Fiver?" Hazel asked his little brother. He than looked at Fiver to see he's shivering with his eyes closed. "Fiver?"

"Another vision?" I questioned.

 _Run fast, run hard._ _The Black Rabbit_ _races across the yard. A noise._ He began to have a vision and started to feel, as if he was in pain. _The_ _noise!_

I started to remember the dream that I had that was nearly what Fiver visioned.

"Hazel, _The Black Rabbit_ is close." Fiver told him.

"He's always close. It's a fact of life." Hazel stated. Pipkin started to move back, as he began to fear of _The Black Rabbit_.

"He could want any of us. Maybe we should go home now." Pipkin started to leave for his life.

"Pipkin, we have a job to do, remember." Hazel reminded Pipkin.

He than looked at Fiver. "You're scaring Pipkin, stop it."

"Don't blame it on your brother, he didn't mean too." I said to Hazel. He simply sighed sternly and we continued on our approach at the farm. I began to think that Hazel might a change of personality because what he believed to have failed back at _Efrafa_. I remained silent, as I still feel weary for him. We than arrived at the metal milk cartons and found the farm house that have the farm caged rabbits.

"That's the place." Hazel said. "Hannah says the hutch rabbits are in that barn." Pipkin and I spotted the dog and it was fast asleep.

"What about the dog?" Pipkin asked.

"He's asleep, and no worries there." Hazel assured us, as we saw the dog flinch with it's hind leg.

"He's totally asleep. He's dreaming. Probably chasing cats and not making a single catch. We advanced a little bit further and made our stop again.

"Still, let's try to be extra careful." Fiver warned us.

"Alright, now follow me across the yard and into the barn." Hazel instructed us. The three of us nodded our heads at him, than we continued to make our way across and approach at the barn's entrance. We than saw Pipkin stopped with hesitation, as he continues to fear the enemies surrounding us.

"All clear." Hazel said.

"That's a relief. If we're by the rabbit's barn, how're we going to know where he is?" I asked.

"Use your nose." Fiver said. I started to sniff around my corners and could smell nothing, but farm smell. "What are you doing?"

"You said to use my nose and I could only smell farm animals and food." I answered.

Fiver shook his head, as he and Pipkin chuckled, however Pipkin chuckled harder as he found it more funny as a human tries to smell like a rabbit does. "I meant for Hazel. I could smell a cat."

"I can too, but that doesn't mean anything. It could be old." Hazel said.

"Any sign of Tyler?" I asked Hazel.

Hazel sniffed around the corners. "There are rabbits in there, but all their scents are mixed. Meaning there are more than two rabbits."

"No surprise." I said. We than started to hear someone singing. We first assumed it was a human heading towards our way, so we hide in a corner of one of the doors. We saw no human, a farmer in this case. The singing continued and I started to recognize the song, first I thought it was Shaggy as I heard the same note from the chorus. However, I continued to hear the song more and it was _Angel of the Morning_ by Juice Newton.

"I know that song!" I exclaimed.

"You heard it?" Hazel asked.

"I did! I heard it once when I was working at Wal-Mart. And again when I decided to search for the song myself on YouTube." I answered.

"YouTube?"

"Humans post videos online where online browsers could watch videos, comment, and like or dislike." I explained another human concept.

"It must be Tyler! Hannah told us that it would be him, if he was singing." Hazel added and turned towards Pipkin. "Alright Pipkin, stay here. Keep a watch while Fiver, Andrew, and I are inside, understand."

"Yes, but what if the cat should come. Not just the smell of the cat, but a real cat, with claws and teeth." Pipkin worried.

"You know what Hannah calls them? _Popeye_ , _backdoor, saucer scrappers_. We can handle one of those can we?" Hazel asked.

"A what?" I was puzzled.

" _Popeye, backdoor, saucer scrappers_ , right. No worries." Pipkin said. Hazel nodded and we began to investigate inside as the singing continues.

* * *

 _Just call me angel of the morning, (angel)_

 _Just touch my cheek before you leave me, baby_  
 _Just call me angel of the morning, (angel)_  
 _Then slowly turn away_  
 _I won't beg you to stay with me_  
 _Through the tears of the day, of the years_  
 _Baby, baby, baby_

"Clover! Tell your son to stop singing, we're having our nap." one of the rabbits that said. However, I couldn't hear them, because I was on my headphones. Singing a song on my Zune HD, in the morning helps me start up my day, as usual, before I founded myself locked in a cage with my mother.

"Tyler." I could hear faint noises from my mother, but they were muffled from listening to _Angel of the Morning_. I than was nuzzled that had me removed my headphones. I turned to see my mother was still half asleep.

"Do you mind to keep it down a little?" she asked gently and kind, as she always is.

"Sorry Mom, I couldn't help sing for a beautiful morning it is." I apologized.

She rubbed my head. "Just try to get some sleep, if possible or sing quietly."

"Yes Mom." I smiled and nodded, before she went back to sleep. Before I put back on my headphones, I started to hear a faint conversation outside of the cage.

"There it is. The rabbit hutch." I heard a first voice and thought it might be a human coming to us, possibly selling us as the worst case.

"I don't like this place one bit, Hazel." a younger voice spoke started to shiver his feet.

"I know, but at least it's not worst than Cowslip's or Woundwart's." another male voice, I assumed a third person.

"Let's just get on with it and we'll be out of here, before you can say Larkspur." the first voice said.

"Larkspur, California?" the third voice questioned.

"No, that's something else." the first answered.

 _Funny, why would someone mention a town from California?_ I thought.

"It'll be nice to get the 'Old Hazel' back." the younger voice complained.

"Yeah, you seemed to be taken a little too serious." the third voice agreed.

"What are you two on about?" I assume the first voice was "Hazel".

"You have been mooning over Primrose, since _Efrafa._ Now you're charging around like Bigwig, with a sore toe." the younger voice argued.

"The 'Old Hazel' wasn't clever enough to get Primrose out of _Efrafa_. Maybe we need a 'New Hazel'." Hazel spoke.

"Now that's a bit rhetoric about yourself. You didn't need to change your personality to be someone you're not." the third voice tries to convey.

"Now, I have enough of the both of you complaining of the 'New Hazel', now come on." Hazel exclaimed.

I than saw two rabbits with the same color of brown-hazel fur: however one was taller and another is shorter than the first. They were heading towards a small stack of hay and I saw something moving inside of it.

"Wait, don't!" I tried to stop them. As the taller one looked at another direction to find the voice, a chicken came out from there and gobbled away.

"Whose there?" Hazel kept looking around.

"Up here." I singled to them with a wave. The two rabbits looked up and saw me in the cage.

"Are you Tyler?" Hazel asked.

"Yes, who are you?" I asked.

"I'm Hazel and this my brother Fiver." Hazel greeted and Fiver waved, as he was greeted.

"What's going on there?" the third voice came, as he came over to them and saw that he was human. I was in shocked to see a human in the same size, as a rabbit.

"A human!" I exclaimed.

"It's alright, he's with us." Hazel assured me.

"I'm Andrew." the human greeted.

"Nice to meet you, Andrew. I'm Tyler." I greeted.

"I suppose you were singing _Angel of the Morning_." Andrew guessed.

"By Juice Newton, how do you know?" I asked.

"I heard the song before from work." I answered.

Hazel looked at the haystacks, as it would take a short climb to reach towards the cage.

"I'll need both your help getting me up there." Hazel asked Fiver and Andrew, as they came to him and helped Hazel get a lift. After Hazel was on the haystack, he started climbing the rest of the way towards the cage.

"Mom, wake up." I went to my mom and nuzzled her, until she's awaken.

"Hello in there." Hazel spoke to us. My mother and I came towards the cage door, as the rest of the rabbits woke up. "I'm Hazel."

"Hazel, this my mother Clover." I greeted my mom.

"Where's your cage? What are you doing out?" Mom asked.

"I live outside. I don't have a cage." Hazel answered.

"No cage, no owner, who feeds you?" the orange and white rabbit asked.

"I... I feed myself." Hazel stuttered.

"Not doing a terrific job of it, are you? You're all skin and bones." Mom said.

I chuckled. "Not all rabbits are pets, some live on their own. I'm sure he does, right Hazel?" I asked.

"Don't worry Tyler." Hazel assured me.

"Get man to look after you, that'll do the trick." the dark and light blue rabbit advised to him, although it's unnecessary.

"We look after each other." Hazel said.

"Hazel, what's happening up there?" I heard Fiver's voice.

"We keep seeing the chicken roaming around, at least he's intact." I also heard Andrew's voice, as he tries to come up with a joke.

"Whose that?" the dark and blue rabbit asked Hazel.

"That's Hazel's little brother, Fiver and a human named Andrew." I answered.

"A human?" my mother said.

"I'm serious. A human as a size of a rabbit!" I exclaimed.

"That's absolutely nonsense!" the rest of the rabbits dismissed. "Man looks after us, not live amongst rabbits."

"It's a long story. The three of us are here to help you escape." Hazel wanted to help us escape.

"Escape? Through what?" the dark and light blue rabbit questioned.

"Tyler may seem keen, but not everyone else." I heard Fiver in concern that he doesn't trust the rest of the rabbits, possibly my mom including.

"We will. If you help us get out." I agree.

"Tyler, we have been here for our whole life." my mom said.

"If there's a warren nearby, we could be able to live there and be free." I explained.

"Fiver and Andrew, go see how Pipkin's doing." Hazel instructed them.

"Alright, but hurry. The longer we stay here the worse it feels." Fiver feared, as well as Andrew expressed his fear too before they left, as if they knew something is going to happen.

Hazel hopped on top of the cage and started to break the locks above. "When the door opens, get ready to run."

"Like _El-ahrairah_?" I asked and my mom became worried about our little secret.

"Ahhh... yes." Hazel stopped for a moment, before resuming to break the locks. He than managed to break the top locks and the door fell to the ground. Immediately, I hopped out of the cage and turned back to see my mother and everybody else are still in the cage, as if they haven't been out before.

"Well, you coming or not?" Hazel asked. I saw one of the rabbits sniffed into the air.

"Now, where exactly are we going?" the rabbit asked.

"I suppose we find out, when we get there." my mom said, as she climbed down to join me.

"That's a bit, preposterous don't you think?" the dark and light blue rabbit questioned my mother.

"Inside a cage or not, there's no difference. It's our chance to escape." I tried to convinced them.

"Oh no, it doesn't do to me quickly. Gives me a funny tummy." the orange and white rabbit refused to leave.

"Come on, are you coming or not?!" Hazel shouted.

"It's not worth it, Hazel. They're too used to being in the cage that some of them won't leave." I told him.

I than saw Fiver, Andrew, and a third rabbit I assume it's Pipkin, hurrying their way towards us.

"Hazel, hurry!" Fiver exclaimed.

"There's the same angry cat that is not, Garfield, coming towards us!" Andrew explained.

I couldn't help laugh inside from the Garfield joke, but I knew Tabitha is after us. "It's Tabitha, she'll eat you guys up, as well as us, if we try to escape."

The cat tried to pounce on the three of them, but thank _Frith_ that the cat missed. She made a quick recovery and spotted me, Mom, and Hazel, before preparing to pounce us.

"Mom, get down!" I ducked Mom down, as me and Hazel ducked down as well, and the cat missed and landed flat on the ground. The three of us hopped to the ground.

"I'm not sure I care for this 'outside' business." Mom began to fear.

"Being able to escape is much better than being eaten by a cat." I told her. Tabitha began to slowly move her way towards, as Hazel and I shield my mother.

* * *

"Fiver, Pipkin, and Andrew take Clover and Tyler and for the door." Hazel instructed us.

"I'm not leaving you, Hazel. I'm staying with you." I refused, as my premonition dream begins to take shape into reality.

"Just go! I'll meet you at the hedge." Hazel assured me.

"You're not going to do anything foolish and Bigwigish, are you?" Fiver questioned Hazel.

" _Frith_ forbid." Hazel assured Fiver. The cat leaped towards Hazel, but he round-kicked the cat to the ground.

"Nice kick!" Tyler and I commended Hazel. As I was leading everyone else towards the exit of the barn, I saw Tyler held on to his Zune, from pulling it out from his vest pack, and started searching for a good tune, as he was still hide himself from the cat. I came to him and see him still searching through songs.

"Come on, Tyler or are we cat kibbled for lunch!" I tried to hurry him up, because we're all in danger from the cat.

"I'm coming." he said to me. "Come on, Tyler. That cat will find you sooner or later. Which one? Which one?"

I kept looking at Hazel watching everybody else leave the barn. Tyler kept on scrolling up and down the screen, hoping that the cat will never find him, until... he found what looked like the right tune, as he his ears pointed up.

Just then, Tabitha spotted him that interrupted his song search. I fall back to join the others and I saw Hazel no where in sight, as I assume that Hazel joined them and I I continued on while looking back for Tyler.

"Found you, long ears." Tabitha spoke.

"Sorry Tabitha, but not this time." Tyler smirked.

The cat tried to jump him, but Tyler simply dodged and started to dash towards me, with the cat being right on his tail. I continued to go ahead without looking back, unexpectedly waking up the dog and started to bark. Shortly after, we than arrived at the hedge. We only found Fiver, Pipkin, and Clover at the hedge.

* * *

"Where's Hazel?" I asked.

"He's still back at the farm, I thought he might followed you back." Fiver answered.

"I think I saw him hiding behind a wheelbarrow." Tyler said.

"I wish Hazel would get out of here." Pipkin hoped.

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid." I said to myself in shock while shaking my head.

"He'll be out, don't worry you two." Fiver assured us.

I looked back at Tyler with his mother, as they tried some green leaves and they spitted out from the taste.

"Well, should we wandered off than." Clover suggested.

"We're not leaving Hazel behind! Not now, not ever!" I scolded, as I thought she was being ungrateful to him, after rescuing her and her son.

"Well, he's awfully bossy." she added while licking her paw.

"Take it easy, Andrew! She didn't mean to!" Tyler protected his mother.

"I'm sorry you two. I'm just worried about him in this situation." I apologized and feared for Hazel, as Fiver patted on my shoulder. We continued to watch the barn door to watch and wait for Hazel to come out. We than saw a rabbit, recognizing him as Hazel and the dog started to bark.

"He's out! He's going the wrong way! I got to help him!" I left the hedge, as Fiver and Pipkin tried to call me back. I ran as fast as I could to catch up towards him, to get him to my direction. I than looked back at the house next to the barn house, a farmer exited out of the house with his rifle aiming for Hazel.

"Hazel, look out!" I shouted for Hazel, as the farmer aimed for him. Hazel stopped and looked back and started to head towards me. I looked back at the farm and saw the farmer stared and started to aim his rifle towards me. I became hypnotized that a human would shoot a shrunken man. Not having much reaction, as I gazed at him and heard Hazel calling out to me. I was than tackled, by someone seconds after a gunshot ring out. I than landed on the grass and felt a painful sting.

I woke up a few seconds after the fall to find out someone was on top of me. I looked to see it was Hazel was lying on me. He was unconscious and decided to check his pulse and he was okay, but his breathing was fatal, as I lifted him to see he was shot on his hip. The premonition was real the whole time and was a warning. I lifted myself up and to see the farmer with another man pointing out where he shot him. I didn't want them to take Hazel to become cat food or worse as sport.

"I'm not letting you die like this, Hazel." I said to him. I stood up and felt a little pain on my right arm, but it was minor unlike Hazel's wound. I now was determined to make sure Hazel recovered back to health, if not I would just bring a dead leader to give him a veneration.

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his character Tyler and ideas involving his debut.


	19. Episode 6: The Raid Part 3

The Raid Part 3

It was up to me now that Hazel was shot, that I had to get him back to health, as I helped Bigwig to be free from a snare trap, saving Pipkin from a weasel and the _Efrafa_ patrol surrounding us, and him and Fiver from drowning at the crossing where we first met. I picked up Hazel, using my left arm over his shoulder and started to leave the area, as the farmer headed his way towards us to collect Hazel. It was safer to separate ourselves from Fiver and the rest of the group, so that the farmer wouldn't collect more rabbits, including bringing Clover and Tyler back to the farm. While carrying Hazel, we found a path and followed it, hopefully finding a perfect hiding spot. Every time I see a tall bush, I would avoid it. It wasn't about the farmer being on our trail, but hungry predators that langer in the woods that could find themselves a meal.

It was about fifteen minutes that we couldn't find a perfect spot to hide, until I saw a drainpipe. I looked inside and was dark that the farmer wouldn't be able to find us in there. I gently put Hazel to the ground and try to be slow and gentle as possible to pull him inside the pipe, even though the blood started to make prints that we could be followed anytime. After dragging him deeper, I thought it was a good stop, because we would be unseen. I put my travel bag down and started to search for a med-kit. I moved my blankets and thought of an idea to place Hazel on one of the blankets, so he wouldn't have to be wet and he'll lie on something soft as grass. I continued to search through my pack and I found the kit. I pulled it out and looked through to grab wrap bandages, a tweezer, and liquid antibiotics.

"Alright, Hazel. It may sting, but bare with me." I became nervous, as I start on a surgical procedure on Hazel.

I first wanted to remove the bullet that was stick inside him. I used a magnify glass to exam the bullet that was only a quarter of the way penetrated inside his hip. After using my magnify glass, I picked up a tweezer and started to put it in. I than heard Hazel groaned in pain, as I had the tweezer inside and quickly pulled it out.

"You have to trust me, Hazel. In a matter of life or death." I petted Hazel, before I had to put insert the tweezer again, as he groaned in pain.

It went deep and deep , until I hear a tap that would be the bullet. I extended the tweezer to close it on the bullet and I got it. I started to slowly pull up the tweezer and the bullet for the first time, it slipped from my grasp and the bullet got stick. I took a deep breath and whispered to myself that I have to do this. I grabbed the bullet again with the tweezer and started to slowly pull it up. Seconds later, I managed to remove the bullet from Hazel's hip. As I was covered in sweat, I wiped the sweat from my forehead to congratulate myself for surgically remove a bullet shrapnel from a rabbit's wound. The next step was to conceal the wound, as possible.

I poured the antibiotic gently onto his wound. As he felt the sting, he groaned until he let out a scream in pain. My heart felt the jolt ache to see him wounded like this. I started to dab the wound with a piece of cloth from the med-kit to clean the wound and try to stop the bleeding. After dabbing his wound, I used a wrapping bandage to cover the wound and it was fully covered.

"There you go. Now you should recover hopefully soon. Unfortunately, we're not with Fiver and the others, but I know they're better off safe." I petted Hazel. He than started to open his eyes slowly. He started to look around, until he saw me.

"Andrew?"

"It's me, are you alright?" I asked.

"I saw you. You could have been killed." Hazel said.

"And you... you were aimed at first, before the farmer aimed towards me. In a moment later, I found myself on the grass and you atop of me." I explained.

He tried to stand up, but he clumped back down.

"Easy... you were shot. So I just fixed you up and now you need to rest." I said.

"Where's Fiver, Pipkin, Clover, and Tyler?" Hazel asked.

"I don't know, but I do know the last thing was that they were still hiding at the hedge, however I assume that Pipkin, Clover, and Tyler are back at Watership Down and Fiver trying to look for us. Maybe with some help." I answered.

"You should just leave and find him." Hazel said.

"I can't leave you. Someone would eventually find you and you'll be dead and defenseless." I refused.

Hazel than realizes that _The Black Rabbit_ could be near, so he would rather not be alone. "I'm sure Fiver would find us, before _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_ could find me."

"Don't talk like that, Fiver will find us." I assured him. We than heard footsteps coming towards us from the outside of the drainpipe. I saw a man's boots, as I suspect it was the farmer following us. He than knelt down by the drainpipe to dip his fingers onto Hazel's blood trail. I stood up and prepared to shield Hazel, if he ended up finding us. Instead of possibly laying down and peaked through the drainpipe where he could find me and Hazel, he just stood back up and walked away.

My heart was beating intense in thought that it would have been the end of Hazel and myself. I fall onto my back and started to breath heavily hard and found it frightening.

"Andrew, he's gone." Hazel scooted over and placed his paw on my shoulder. "Just take easy breaths."

I held onto his paw tight and started to take slow easy breaths to get rid of the anxiety. In about thirty seconds, I started to be myself again. "I never had an experience where I was being hunted or was about to be killed."

"It's common for every rabbit to face not only from 'man', but also by _elil_." Hazel said.

"I'm sorry you have to go through with this everyday." I apologized.

"Please don't apologize, it's a way for rabbits to survive. I'm the one to apologize for being reckless." Hazel apologized.

"Well, I forgive you, but you should also say it to Fiver also. He warned us. I knew it was going to happen and I could told you guys sooner." I stated.

"You had a vision?" Hazel became surprised.

"No, more of a premonition, really from a dream. I dreamed that we're going to free rabbits, until we were caught by cat and dog. Than the farmer came out and shot you." I told him about the dream I had from last night. Hazel was in shock that I had this dream and I didn't said anything about it, but he was calm. "I should have prevented it and if I did, we wouldn't have to go through with this."

"It's not you and/or Fiver to blame, but mine and I'll say this to Fiver also." Hazel said and he looked at his wound to see it was covered. "What did you do?"

"I told you I have to fix you up. I took out the bullet wound you had and a good thing that the whole bullet wasn't deep or fully intact. You would have died from the wound and blood loss." I answered.

"Thank you. I never thought a human would save mine, especially after how I treated you and Fiver." Hazel was grateful.

"Your welcome. Now, we just need to wait for Fiver to come for us." I said as Hazel nodded and we snuggled together, as we began to have a short nap. Before he fell asleep, Hazel noticed a wound that was on my right arm.

"Andrew, you're hurt." Hazel told me.

I looked at my wound and it was minor, un-compared to Hazel's. "It's fine, I'll fix it when we get out."

"No, you have helped me. Now let me help you." Hazel offered me help. I than decided to agree and he started to lick my wound. I felt a little uncomfortable at first, until I recall how it was normal, if a dog see's their owner hurt, they would sometimes lick their owner's wound to make them feel better.

"Thank you Hazel." I thanked and I started to pat on his head.

"Your welcome." Hazel stopped and simply smiled, before we decided to have our nap, as we wait for Fiver.

* * *

"Hazel!"

A voice echoes throughout the drainpipe that awoken me. I looked around us, as Hazel was still asleep and the voice came out again.

"Hazel! Andrew! Are you there?!" the same voice echoes. I started to see two small figures at the end of the drainpipe, but I couldn't see who they were. They than left the area, as I decided to make a shout if it was Fiver.

"Fiver, is that you?" I shouted and I started to walk a little further towards the light. "Fiver!"

I than heard stomps coming towards my way. I than saw Fiver and Kehaar peeking through the drainpipe.

"Andrew?" Fiver shouted.

"Yes, it's me and Hazel's here too!" I shouted.

"Hold on you two." Fiver was thrilled to see me and Hazel alive. I headed back towards Hazel and gently shook him from his nap.

"Hazel, Fiver and Kehaar found us!" I exclaimed.

Hazel turned his head to his little brother and Kehaar.

"I knew you'll find us, Fiver. I knew you wouldn't leave us to _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_." Hazel was relived.

Fiver and Kehaar came to us and Fiver gently placed his paw on Hazel's shoulder. "Never Hazel."

"Did 'black pebble' bite you?" Kehaar asked Hazel.

"There was a sound and pain that I never felt before." Hazel answered. He than tried to stand, but the strain was resisting him to stand. "Apparently thanks to Andrew, he has covered my wound."

"Now you just need to rest your wound, until you're better and we could leave." I added.

"I heard you two calling for me." Fiver said to Hazel and I.

"But I didn't." Hazel said.

"I could only say the times when I saw two figures by the end of the drainpipe and I started to call out for you. Other than I called for you before you came back." I said.

"Fiver, I need to apologize to you, as I did for Andrew on how I was." Hazel offered his apology to Fiver.

"Don't worry about, Hazel and I forgive." Fiver smiled. "Now like Andrew said, you need to rest."

Hazel smiled back, before closing his eyes and falls asleep. Fiver and I got beside Hazel and decided to nap also, until Hazel was fully recovered and ready for the journey home.

Hours after our little rest, Hazel's wound recovered and I decided to slowly and gently removed the bandage, to see also his wound recovered quick. We than exited out of the drainpipe and entered the outside world. The four of us thought it was our time to head back for home.

"Home?" Fiver questioned all of us.

"I agree." I agreed.

"Now there is a beautiful word. I hope Pipkin, Tyler and Clover made it back alright." Hazel worried for them making their way back to Watership Down. "What if-"

"Don't start." Fiver interrupted Hazel, as he tries to assure his older brother. "Everything's fine and you're not allowed to worry about anything, until you're better."

"Especially, I already told you that they would be safe. I'm sure they would be." I assured Hazel also. He than nodded his head and agreed, as the four of us started to make our journey home.

"We could have got more rabbits." Hazel was a bit down from our raid.

"We got Tyler and Clover." I said.

"Two rabbits are better than none." Fiver added.

"Besides, the other rabbits were hesitated to leave, so there would be more we would tag along next time." I recalled about the remaining farm rabbits that barely escaped.

* * *

The sun started to set by the time we got back to see Bigwig, Hawkbit, Clover and Tyler waiting for us to return. It was like that they realized that we were nearly gone for the whole day.

"Now our great leader has returned." Bigwig smirked.

"Try not to make it a joke, Bigwig. We had a long day today." I told him.

"So what happened? Besides of seeing two new rabbits at the down." Bigwig asked Hazel.

"We had to get new rabbits. I decided to bring Fiver, Andrew, and Pipkin along and we found new rabbits at the farm." Hazel answered.

"However, after being encountered by a cat, we managed to get two rabbits." Fiver pointed out Clover and Tyler _silflaying_. "We managed to get out, but Hazel was trapped by the cat in a pickle. He than escaped, but was caught by the attention from the dog that the farmer came out and aimed for him, until Andrew appeared in the middle of the crossfire and Hazel saved his life."

Everyone looked at me. "It's true, but we escaped and hide ourselves from the farmer. As well removing the bullet wound from Hazel and helped me from my wound too."

"Lad, I don't know what to say, but thank you as always." Bigwig thanked me, also Hawkbit, Fiver, and Pipkin thanked.

"Well if it hasn't been for Fiver and Kehaar finding us, Hazel and I could have been found by the farmer or worse." I gave Fiver and Kehaar credit, as Fiver smiled back.

"Oh thanks a lot Hazel. The adventure like that and leave us behind." Bigwig said to Hazel.

"Yeah, we'd have been there. Right behind you." Hawkbit added.

"I'm sure he knows, but sometimes it's best to have a small group go, also it was early in the morning too." I stated.

"However in danger, sometimes it's better to run." Hazel said and looked at his wound. "Andrew, thank you for removing this 'bandage'."

"Sure thing. I'm sure everybody would probably wonder why you have it on." I said.

"I always wondered what outside was like. I never thought I'd see it." Clover said.

"I always knew you would one day, Mom." Tyler nuzzled his mother.

"Clover, Tyler, I'm glad you two had a chance. I'm sorry the others didn't make it out." Hazel said with an apology.

"Don't be. They like the hutch. Nothing's changed for them." Clover said.

"It becomes a routine, until they get used to it." I stated. "Believe me I know."

We than heard Kehaar flying above us and landed. "You rest now, Hazel. Best thing for you." We than saw Hannah and Blackberry came out of the warren.

"You got a fresh bed." Hannah told Hazel.

"Oh... lovely." Hazel in a relief, after a long day that he envied for a nice bed. I thought there was a last touch he should have.

"Hazel?"

He turned towards me and got my attention. "I thought for tonight also, I gave you this blanket. To keep you warm."

"Andrew, I can't accept that. You done so much already." Hazel kindly refuses.

"I know, but just for tonight. I know you liked this blanket at the drainpipe." I explained to him, as I gave him the blanket.

"Thank you. You're a kind human and a friend." Hazel placed his paw on my shoulder with the gentle smile he always has.

"You been kind to me, when I came here. I need to repay somehow for your kindness. You're also a good friend." I said.

Hazel's smile fade, as he walked towards the edge of the down where Fiver is, as I joined them.

"What are you thinking, Hazel?" Fiver asked.

Hazel still felt the despair he has since leaving _Efrafa_. "About another place."

" _Efrafa_ and Primrose?" Fiver guessed.

"I promised I'd go back for them." Hazel became determined.

"Love hurts, yes?" Kehaar said.

"Yes Kehaar. Sometimes." Hazel said, as the four of us gazed at the sunset. We than heard a music that I recall from seeing _Halloween_ 2007 remake.

 _Love hurts_  
 _Love scars_  
 _Love wounds and marks_  
 _Any heart not tough or strong enough_  
 _To take a lot of pain, take a lot of pain_  
 _Love is like a cloud, it holds a lot of rain_  
 _Love hurts_  
 _Ooh love hurts_

We looked behind us to see Tyler playing _Love Hurts_ by Nazareth. The four of us looked back each other.

"Well... it does." I said. We listened to the whole song, as Tyler was rocking his head slowly to the rhythm.

 _I'm young_  
 _I know_  
 _But even so_  
 _I know a thing or two, I learned from you_  
 _I really learned a lot, really learned a lot_  
 _Love is like a flame, it burns you when it's hot_  
 _Love hurts_  
 _Ooh love hurts_

 _Some fools think_  
 _Of happiness, blissfulness, togetherness_  
 _Some fools fool themselves, I guess_  
 _They're not foolin' me_  
 _I know it isn't true I know it isn't true_  
 _Love is just a lie made to make you blue_  
 _Love hurts_  
 _Ooh love hurts_  
 _Ooh love hurts_

 _I know it isn't true_  
 _I know it isn't true_  
 _Love is just a lie made to make you blue_  
 _Love hurts_  
 _Ooh love hurts_  
 _Ooh, love hurts, ooh_

* * *

After the song was over, Tyler came to us. "I'm sorry. I listened to the whole conversation. Are you in love?"

"I'm." Hazel answered.

"Hopefully... hopefully you be able to free her from the place that she was kept." Tyler hoped for Hazel.

"We'll Tyler. We will." Hazel boldly stated, as he headed in to the warren.

"Alright everyone, time to go in the warren." Bigwig announced as the sun has fully set. The rabbits started to go into the warren, I saw Clover calling for Tyler, as he headed towards her. I followed him, until he got into the warren and I thought I should know more about Tyler.

"So Clover?" I asked her.

"Yes?" Clover asked.

"I was wondering since we first saw you two... how come Tyler is your son? He looks nothing like you, when you notice his fur.

"Well, it's an adoptive relationship, to be honest. But I still love him enough to call him my son. That, and the farmer found him one day on the farm." Clover answered.

"Really. Can you please tell me more about him?" I asked.

"Okay than..." Clover started to tell me her story about Tyler.

 _One day at the farm, I was in the hutch as usual with other rabbits. "Man" came back with a small black rabbit. He looked very nervous, as if he was caught possibly by "man". I tried my best to make him feel welcome as possible, however he seemed to be a bit sad. I talked to him for short time to know him and where he came from. Surprisingly for you, he came from the same world you came from, but as a orphan._

"You mean to say that he lives in an orphanage?" I asked.

 _After introducing himself, his name was Tyler and he came from another world called New York. He had a terrible accident that he ended up seeing_ _Frith and The Black Rabbit. (Not to say that Tyler and The Black Rabbit are the same.) He came to our world as the similar fur color as The Black Rabbit. At first before "man" found him, he said that he was lost and had no idea where to go. Even at one point, he was being pursuit by other rabbits._

" _Efrafa_?" I guessed.

 _I don't know, but he said he saw a dark-gray and black rabbit with other rabbits. Tyler managed to hold himself off until he was trapped inside a cage. The other rabbits feared for their own lives and left him in the cage._ _"Man" later founds him in the cage and being brought to the farm with me and other rabbits. After our conversation with Tyler, I was going to look after him, as his real mother._

"Well... I have to say you're being a great mother looking after him. I commend you for it." I commended Clover.

"You came where Tyler was?" she asked.

"Yes, but I was visiting from another state. I was traveling with a friend, until we got lost on the trail walk and I passed out from a falling branch. And now I'm here." I explained briefly.

"I must say you had an adventure." Clover said.

"I did, but I do say that Tyler does have one too." I said.

Clover and I walked inside the warren. "All the matters now is that, as long he's at a warren and he's happy. Than I'm happy too."

"You two would love it here. Well, goodnight." I said, before headed for my to my burrow to comfy, after a long day.

"Goodnight Andrew. Oh wait!" Clover called me out and I came back to her.

"I only wanted you to keep what I said about Tyler a secret. I don't want everybody else know." Clover said.

"I won't say anything. You can trust me." I promised.

"Thank you Andrew, and goodnight." Clover was than escorted with the help of Blackberry to her burrow with Tyler. I watched to see Tyler is happy, as he was miserable being in the cage for so long. Maybe I hoped that one day if I did find my way home, I could help Tyler find a new home.

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for the character Tyler and ideas for this episode. Sorry for the long wait everybody, but I hope you all are enjoying the series by far. Please write a review on what you think about the series so far. Thank you for your support and stay tuned for the next episode.


	20. Episode 7: Challenge to Efrafa Part 1

Challenge to Efrafa Part 1

After we had Clover and Tyler welcomed into our warren, Hazel decided that there would be a training in the next morning for the _Owsla_ , also for regarding to _Efrafa_. I woke up the next day early as usual, and headed outside of the warren to see the sunrise. When I first got out of the warren, I saw Tyler was up and early saluting at a branch.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Saluting 'The Old Glory' flag." Tyler answered.

"'The Old Glory' flag?" I was confused, as I still looked at the branch and saw that it was a similar shape as a flag pole. Than I saw a leaf that is attached at the end of the branch, which it was painted with red, white, and blue. I began to think of it was makeshift, until I realized it as a resemblance of the American flag. Although, I still couldn't figure out how Tyler would be able to get his paws on it and painting the leaf. "Are you meaning the American?"

"That's right. I see the branch as a pole and the leaf as the flag. I would like to think of it a our Good ol' 'The Old Glory' flag there. I always salute to our flag." Tyler explains his patriotism for our country. He than pulled out his Zune HD and started to search for The National Anthem.

"Why don't you put on the one with Jimi Hendrix?" I asked Tyler and thought to clown in a early rising for the rabbits.

"Oh yeah, never thought about that." Tyler agreed and tries to search for it.

"And don't worry, if you get finger-pointed, it will be me. Because since I came here, I ended up playing music through my phone." I assured.

"How did you get here as a human, did you see _Frith_?" Tyler asked.

"No, it was from an accident that I ended up being hit on the head from a falling branch and I woke up, as the same size of a rabbit. And I don't want to get into how it turned out for me from work too." I explained.

"I'm sorry."

"Well... it feels like now that I'm second guessing or even that I prefer to be here than being back at my world. Although, I still wanted to find my way back home, for my families' sake." I added.

"It's good that you have a family." Tyler envied, before he felt a little emotionally sadden.

"Oh, I... I didn't that mean it. I'm sorry. Clover told me about you and I wouldn't say anything." I apologized and gave him a promise that I won't share to anybody.

Tyler looked back at me and wipe a small tear from his eye. "Thanks." he said, as we smiled back at each other.

"Are you ready to wake them up?" I asked.

Tyler chuckled. "Let's also sing as well."

I nodded and agreed. He than started to play Jimi Hendrix's rendition to _Star Spangled Banner_. Tyler saluted once again, as I placed my hand on my heart, as it was playing.

 _O say can you see, by the dawn's early light,_  
 _What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,_  
 _Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,_  
 _O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?_  
 _And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,_  
 _Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;_  
 _O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave_  
 _O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave_

We than saw Clover coming out of the warren, slightly awake. "Good morning all."

"Good morning." I said.

"Good morning, Mom." Tyler said.

"Was that the song you told me about it, Tyler?" Clover asked her son.

"The American National Anthem? Indeed it was, Mom." Tyler said with a smile.

"Andrew! Are you barmy mad, in the morning! It's worst than Kehaar waking us up in the morning, turn it off!" we than heard Bigwig's voice from the warren.

"Respect them classics, man! It's Jimi Hendrix!" I shouted back. Tyler and I started to laugh. We than continued to be poised on the National Anthem until the song was finished. We than saw Hazel and the _Owsla_ come out of the warren with half of their eyes opened, as they were still sleepy.

"Why would you do that in morning?" Hazel questioned us.

"It was mine idea. Sorry, but I thought it would be funny too see how you guys reacted." I said and I remembered yesterday about Hazel quoted me that I was full of fish. "And to you, Hazel... it was for saying that my head is full fish."

Hazel couldn't believe that I said I was going to get back at him. "I guess you were right and now it's done."

I smirked.

"Now!" Hazel decided to play payback and the _Owsla_ charged at me and tackled me to the ground. I ended up seeing the _Owsla_ pounce on top of me, as well as Tyler very surprisingly.

"I think it's time for a truce between us Hazel." I decided.

Hazel smiled and nodded, as the rest of the rabbits got off me and I stood back on my feet. I than saw Tyler dusted himself and gave me a wink, as he was trying to say to me, "don't underestimate me."

"Alright you rabbits, it's time for your final training. _Owsla_ move out!" Bigwig announced to us and we started to head out to a disclosed location, where we are ready to show Hazel that the _Owsla_ are prepared and capable to perform in action. We went through every parts, we had to train: using stealth, quick stops and roll, hopping over the log with one rabbit (feeling bad about Hawkbit, because we had to get on top of him to perform our jump over the log). Our last part of the test was to use our stealth to go around Bigwig and Hazel. We did our best to hid ourselves through the bushes and our concealment worked very well.

"You guys ready?" I asked everybody.

"Ready." Everybody said.

"I wanted to give the honor to Tyler to lead the first charge." I offered to Tyler. "Because I knew how fast you were on how you took me down."

"Glad too." Tyler felt honored. We than heard Kehaar making a battle cry and dived down at Hazel and Bigwig.

"Not yet." I hold everyone. "Just wait until their alarm is down."

"Now that doesn't rally up the enemy, what would." Bigwig said.

"Very impressive." Hazel complimented Bigwig.

"Ready, set..." I started to cue everyone to be prepare to charge at Hazel.

"It gets better." Bigwig added. Hazel turned his head around, as he was wondering where we were, until he gave up his search.

"Now!" I commanded everyone quietly. Tyler led charge and a quick second second he even got him to the ground, before everybody else, including myself would pounced on him, laving Pipkin landing on Hazel's chest.

"Gotcha!" Pipkin said.

"You're dead man." I smirked at Hazel.

Bigwig couldn't help, but laugh at Hazel being tackled by the _Owsla_. "Alright, no need to murder Hazel. Well done lads."

"And that was textbook!" I commended everybody, as I took Hazel's paw and got him back on his feet. The rest of the _Owsla_ , except Tyler, headed back to the down.

"We're getting so good, that we could sneak up on a fox." I overheard Pipkin. I chuckled that we could be able to sneak up on anyone else, if we kept our stealth in check.

"That's impressive, Tyler! That was quicker than before." I congratulated Tyler.

"I must say, even only on one day, very impressive." Bigwig couldn't help praise Tyler.

"Thanks." Tyler thanked the both of us.

"If you don't mind asking, where did you learn how to do it?" Bigwig asked him.

I gulped, as I decided to remain quiet hoping to not reveal about Tyler, but he seemed confident.

"I improvised. Even learned how to do martial arts." Tyler said.

"Martial arts?" Bigwig was curious.

"It's sports and/or skills that involves self-defense or attack." I helped to back up Tyler.

Bigwig nodded for the approval, as I quietly let out a relief breath. "Well Hazel, we have an _Owsla_. Put them right up there with the best."

"Than we're ready." Hazel said.

Bigwig was not surprised, well a bit anyway, that the _Owsla_ are going to be used maybe for an operation.

"What would it be our first mission of assignment?" Tyler asked.

"We're going back to _Efrafa_." Hazel decided for our first assignment. Tyler felt nervous that I remembered that Clover told me that he was caught in a dragnet with the _Efrafa_ patrol that they were capturing outside rabbits. Now I know that Tyler is part of the warren, he wouldn't have to be alone, because we're beside him, as the warren was with me.

* * *

We arrived back at Watership Down and had our meeting at the Honeycomb to discuss our first operation.

"Now that we have an _Owsla_ , it's time to make a drastic measure for our first operation." Bigwig started up and gave Hazel the cue for the spotlight.

"We're going back to _Efrafa_." Hazel announced our first operation.

Everybody wasn't too surprised, as Hazel had mentioned before that we're going back one point or the other to get Primrose and Blackavar out. I even had my own mission in mind to get Sandy out of _Efrafa_ as well.

"You want to go back to _Efrafa_? Is your tail on straight, Hazel? Dandelion asked.

"I promised Primrose and Blackavar that we get them out of there." Hazel answered.

"You mean we, as you and the _Owsla_?" Hawkbit questioned.

"It's obvious, Hawkbit. If we're needed help, we'll get them out of there, as promised." I told Hawkbit.

"Well you promised Hazel, as Hazel promised them, mate. Not me." Hawkbit said.

"That's why he's asking for volunteers, thick ears." Bigwig said to Hawkbit.

"Not too mention that I saw somebody there and I hoped to get her out of there." I added. Everybody than stared at me. "What?"

"You mean another human, you recalled?" Hazel asked.

"Yes, like I said before."

"A secret admirer I bet." Hawkbit started to make a tease.

"No, but I know that she isn't safe like Primrose and Blackavar. So it's best that we get them out." I reasoned.

"Three?!" Hawkbit questioned.

"Yes... and I have a plan." I added.

"You have a plan?" Hawkbit questioned again.

"Yes."

"Alright mate, I'm sure it's the same plan that Hazel's and possibly Bigwig's." Hawkbit said.

"What do you mean? You have a plan, I have a plan, he has a plan, she has a plan. Everybody says that all the time. Besides they all have different plans, same plans, it's universal."

"I believe you don't have a plan at all!" Hawkbit exclaimed.

"I have... part of a plan."

"Your plan is rescuing Primrose, Blackavar,... and who is it again? Tyler asked.

"Sandy." I answered.

"And you're planning rescuing all three of them?" he asked.

"Yes all three, even having a ninety-nine percent of succeeding." I hoped.

"Ninety-nine percent?!" Hawkbit mocked and laughed. I even started to think his laughing was getting old

"That's not real laugh!"

"It is real!" Hawkbit exclaimed.

"It's not, anyway if we listen to Hazel's and Bigwig's directions we could be able to them out." I went on.

"Hold on, lad. We're only rescuing Primrose and Blackavar, bringing in another rabbit or... 'man' in the matter-"

"Woman. She's a woman." I corrected him.

"'Man', 'human', 'woman', what's the difference?" Bigwig questions.

"The difference in this matter, man or woman (human being) shouldn't have to suffer like another rabbit in _Efrafa_." I explained.

"It may be dangerous, Andrew with risk." Hazel said.

"You're taking on Hawkbit's and Bigwig's side?!" I questioned.

"No, no I didn't mean to put that way."

"Either way, it is going be too risky. However, it's worth." I said.

"I suppose it will be an dangerous adventure." Pipkin said.

"I suppose it will Pipkin." Hazel agreed.

"He does have a point, Hazel. It will be a dangerous adventure or rescue to get them out, if only we worked together as a team." Fiver said.

"Hear, hear." Dandelion agreed also.

"Totally." Tyler agreed as well.

"To a ninety-nine percent plan of success?! It'll be more of a possible chance to zero success!" Hawkbit rebuttal-ed.

"Thank you, Fiver, Dandelion, Tyler. Thank you!" I thanked the three of them. "They understood what I mean."

I than saw Dandelion, Fiver, and Pipkin whispered. Possibly doubts I presume. "Well... even adding more danger, but I know it'll be successful operation. But I can't do it alone. I need your guys help."

I than raised my right arm for a sworn oath to be the first volunteer for rescuing Primrose, Blackavar, and Sandy from Woundwart. "I'll be the first to volunteer to get those three out."

Everybody gasped silently, as I'm willing to put myself on the line, if I don't get any help at all. "If I wasn't here and be able to help you guys, I'll be at home. Doing my daily routines in my life, go to work, make ends meet, than I sit back at the screen of a TV playing videos games, watch movies, listening to music, even reading books. Do you want to know would I be thinking about... losers."

The rabbits looked at each other puzzled, as well that I'm trying to motivate them, even my human terms are off. "That's what we look at ourselves right now... losers. We have lost loved ones and things we have. Look at us, we may be a smaller army against a large army of Woundwarts. I'm sure Primrose, Blackavar, even Sandy lost somebody and/or things we have."

"Losing our homes." I looked at Hazel, Fiver, Blackberry, Dandelion, and Hawkbit.

"Our families." I than looked at Bigwig, Pipkin, and Tyler.

"And normal lives. Normally, life takes turns, but we're not going to falter on them and ourselves. What if we were given a second chance to live for something greater: for God, new families, a new home... even your guys _Frith_ in that matter. All of us have been given something in our life time one way or the another. I'm not going to standby and watch Woundwart and Vervain take away the basic rights that we all have in common."

"What is that?" Blackberry asked.

"To believe, to live, and have choices." I answered. "If we're lucky enough to get many as possible, but most won't because of their fear. There's always another chance, until their chances are out."

"Are you saying now that we're planning to get everybody out? If you're that's impossible." Hazel said. "We're all risking our lives for a simple promise I made, but freeing everyone is a risk and endangering everyone.

"Exactly. They don't have to live our warren, unless they needed. They could make new warrens." I summed it up. "If you're not in it, I'll find a way to do it myself, without your help." I signed, as I hear nothing, but silence and wished that I was home.

"Andrew..." I heard Hazel's voice.

"The only promise I made was to free Primrose and Blackavar. I don't know what your plan is in full, but it may save everyone from General Woundwart." he than raised his right paw. "I'm willing to be at your side to lead and to free much as possible, including the three."

Bigwig than raised his right paw. "You do have some tension of planning a daring _Owsla_ operation. If it pays off or not, me and my _Owsla_ would be by your side."

Pipkin than raised his paw. "I suppose you need me." I than gave them some inspiration that they're willing to free everyone, as much as possible. I than saw Dandelion raised his paw.

"You're not impressing anybody, Dandelion." Hawkbit said.

Blackberry cleared her throat, as she raised her paw to get Hawkbit's attention. Fiver than raised his paw.

"I'll be glad to help with a new family any way I could." Tyler raised his paw. We all than stared at Hawkbit, the only rabbit who hasn't take part.

"Well... I'm going to regret this." Hawkbit mumbled and raised his paw. "There! Raised my paw, are you happy? We all have our paws shown and sworn to help. Bunch of what Andrew calls them... jackasses."

"Thanks guys." I thanked everybody, as they smiled, except Hawkbit, however they all nodded their heads.

* * *

Soon after our meeting, we than headed outside of our warren and getting prepared to leave to commence this operation. I watched Dandelion eating some breakfast of grass, while talking with Hawkbit.

"I don't see why he picked me. You put up your paw up, before I did." Hawkbit talked to Dandelion.

Dandelion finished chewing the sweet grass and swallowed. "Well, the better rabbit one I suppose."

"Right! All patrol, gather around!" Bigwig ordered.

Everybody gathered around to meet up with Bigwig. "Wait a minute!" I said.

"What do you mean, 'wait a minute'?" Bigwig asked.

"I mean everyone is hear and present, so we need to get started." I explained.

"Always same, 'hurry up and wait'. Can we go now?" Kehaar than spoke.

Bigwig than looked at Hazel and he nodded his to proceed the rescue operation as planned. "We go now." Bigwig and Hazel than led one group of the _Owsla_ : Hawkbit, Blackberry, Fiver, Kehaar, Tyler, and me. Dandelion and Pipkin stayed behind, as to defend the warren, while we are gone.

"Give the _Efrafans_ a good tear up there!" Dandelion shouted to us, as we left.

"And one for me to and good luck." Pipkin shouted also.

I waved to them, before hurrying back over to the rest of the _Owsla_ to start our journey. We took another direction, than the longer way since Kehaar found another way to _Efrafa_. Although, we won't have a two day trip to get there, but we'll get there sooner. I than saw Tyler stopped for a moment to see the grassy fields.

"Is something wrong, Tyler?" I went over to him and asked.

"This where I was being chased by a black and gray rabbit." Tyler said.

"From _Efrafa_?"

"Yes. He said that he was going to take me to Woundwart and be his prisoner." he told me.

I start to picture the black and gray rabbit and I knew it wouldn't be Woundwart because his fur is more darker. Than my mind remembered the confrontation I had with Vervain.

"Do you mean Vervain?" I asked.

Tyler gasped and looked at me. "Was that him?"

"I knew it would be him, because I had that experience too, however Pipkin was also endangered." I told him.

"What happened and what did you do?" Tyler asked.

"Pipkin and I were training with the _Owsla_ , before we got you and Clover. Bigwig and the rest of the _Owsla_ had to search for the _Efrafa_ patrol, until he realized that they have been tailing us. By the time we got caught, we had to split up. I managed to slow the enemy patrol with firework poppers. It did gave them a bit of fright, when I first did. After losing them, I found Pipkin being chased by them. After catching up with Pipkin, we were than surrounded by _Efrafa_ patrol and they were about to kidnap Pipkin... I had no choice to kill one of the _Efrafa_ patrol rabbits, as he was about to take him."

"You killed a rabbit?!" Tyler shockingly exclaimed.

"I didn't mean for that to happen. I was only defending myself and Pipkin's. I still feel the guilt of murdering God's creatures and my first act of doing it on animals." I remorse.

"I could understand if you're defending another rabbit or a human being. All I knew, while I was growing up that humans care less about them even some would be for game or eat for survival." Tyler said.

"Did you save a rabbit before?" I asked.

"I did. I found a rabbit, that was close to my mother's fur color, and she was in a snare trap..." Tyler than fumbled.

"Did you dig them out?" I asked.

Tyler couldn't be able say. "Yeah, I quickly dug and than loose the peg, until she was free."

"Wow..." I didn't had words to say, except having full heart towards animals more.

"And hey, you have guts to defend and looking out for the people you cared and love." Tyler added and smiled.

I thought of it on how much I had to look after my sisters while growing up. "That is true."

"Come on you layabouts, we need to keep going." we heard Bigwig calling for us and joined back, to journey on back to _Efrafa_.

 _To Be Continued..._


	21. Episode 7: Challenge to Efrafa Part 2

Challenge to Efrafa Part 2

As it seemed to be over an hour since we left, we arrived at the stone hedge that closely resembles to one previously from our way to and back from the farm. We than saw Kehaar landed next to the gap that we'll hop and climb through.

"The other side of woods, old stone road, follow me!" Kehaar pointed out the directions to _Efrafa_ , as he was our over-watch for direction and scouting enemy patrols ahead.

"Yet, be right with ya. Soon, as I grow some wings." Hawkbit said as he flapped his arms, as he pretended to be a bird. Kehaar fly off ahead to continue to give us direction.

I than got behind the left side of the stone hedge and I cued everybody to get behind the hedge. I than started to give them hand signals, as I pointed myself and Bigwig to check the corners. He than gave me a confusing look, as he was trying to figure out what I was doing and I repeated the same signal.

"What does that mean?" Bigwig asked.

"He was saying to enter and check corners." Tyler answered.

Bigwig entered first and checked the corners and I followed soon after to see the corners were clear. We than started to hear the train horn whistles in the distance.

"We can hear the iron road." Bigwig pointed out.

"You mean railroad tracks." I corrected.

"You know what I mean. Either way, we're on the edge of _Efrafa_. On your toes everyone." Bigwig than ordered us to remain alert, as the rest of the _Owsla_ entered through the hedge.

"You do have a weird way of doing signals, other than just climbing through or hopping over." Hawkbit said.

"You never know what's there." I rebuttal-ed. I than saw Hazel and Fiver were the last ones and I waited, as everybody else moved on.

"No visions yet, Fiver? It'll be nice to know, if we're going to come through this alright." Hazel asked.

"I can't see anything ahead of us. Just a gray mist of possibilities." Fiver answered.

"I wouldn't worry about it Hazel. It's only a one way plan to find out." I added.

"You two are a great help!" Hazel exclaimed, before turning towards Fiver. "What I really need to know the future, you can't tell me!"

Fiver looked down upon his older brother's upset. I felt a little jumped from Hazel's outburst.

"I'm sorry, you two. I didn't mean it." Hazel than apologized.

"Hey, it's okay." I forgave him.

"I know. You're worried, aren't you?" Fiver figured about Hazel's outburst.

Hazel sighed. "Everyone's risking their lives for a promise I made."

"Don't forget Hazel, we agreed to fulfill the promise. It's not going to be your liability from your idea. You're the leader and anybody could make a mistake." I added.

"Andrew's right. Being a leader means doing what you think is right, then living with the consequences." Fiver stated.

Hazel than hopped to the top of the gap of the hedge and looked back at us. "This trying to be right all the time gets tiring."

We than followed Hazel. "You know Hazel, trying to be right is different from doing the right. One is way: trying to make an effort to be right and another is doing whatever a person believes it is the right way to do and go." I said.

"Just trust in _Frith's_ guidance and strength, and we'll be able to pull through with this." Fiver encouraged Hazel.

"You're right, Fiver. Thank you." Hazel smiled and hugged his little brother. "And you, Andrew." he than turned towards me with a smile.

"I'm your friend and Fiver's your brother. We're behind one hundred percent." I smiled back, as we catch up with the rest of the _Owsla_.

* * *

The morning started to become midday, as we arrived at a farming field and we're possibly near _Efrafa_. Hazel told Kehaar to go ahead and meet us at the river, as the rest of us continued on. When we came to the woods, I heard a rustle from one of the bushes nearby. I didn't bother to go near, as I fear it would be the _Efrafa_ patrol.

"Guys, I think we're being followed." I alarmed in a whisper to the _Owsla_.

"How can you be sure?" Bigwig asked.

"I saw bushes rustle and it stopped. It may be _Efrafa_ patrol or _elil_." I feared.

"We just have to be on our best guard, Andrew." Hazel said.

We than continued through the woods. Each passing moment, Bigwig sniffed for scent, until he recognized one.

"Got something?" Tyler asked.

"Fox! Over the tree!" Bigwig discovered the scent in a whisper. "Move!" We started to move quicker.

"Sneaky ones they're." I said.

We than came by a log and Hawkbit stood next to it and lie down, so everyone could hop on top of him to hop on the log. After I climbed onto the log, I spotted the fox was hiding in the bushes.

"Bigwig, behind you!" I alarmed Bigwig, the fox is coming out of the bushes. Bigwig than hopped over the log and told everyone to run for it. We continued to be pursued by the fox. We than arrived at a small stream to find a place to hide.

"You guys, wait!" we heard Tyler's voice. We stopped and came back to him. "We could hide behind this small fall."

Hazel put his paw through the fall and reveals a hiding place. "Good thinking, Tyler. We can hide behind it and the water could mask our scent. Quick!"

One by one, we started to go through the fall. Tyler kept his Zune and his headphones tightly zipped in his vest backpack and went through into hiding. I had to unstrap my travel pack, as it would take much room and I placed it by a bush, so I remember to come back for it. I than saw Hazel hop through the fall.

"Come on, Bigwig and Andrew. There's plenty of room." Hazel called out.

"Are you coming?" I asked Bigwig.

A snarl came from the fox finding our track. "Get in there!" Bigwig exclaimed. I went through the fall and I saw Bigwig leaving the stream, as the fox followed.

"Is he coming?" Hazel asked.

"No, he went off to hide else where I suppose." I shook my head. Hazel than peaked out through the fall to see the area was clear.

"We'll wait until the fox's scent is further away." Hazel said. Everyone waited to hope that Bigwig would come back. I went to see Tyler and he's a bit nervous.

"First time getting chased by a fox?" I asked.

"No." he said.

"I'm sure Bigwig would come back and he's tougher than a fox and quick too." I comforted.

A scream shouted from the distance, before another came.

"Bigwig." Hazel said.

"That doesn't sound like his scream back in Cowslip's." I refused to believe.

"What if it did got him?" Blackberry asked.

"Well... I'm sure there's another plan, but I doubt it." I said. Hazel than poked his head through the falls and sniffed, before coming back.

"It's safe to come out now." Hazel said.

* * *

We than hopped out of the fall and have no sign of Bigwig or the fox coming back. Hazel seems desperate that Bigwig hasn't come back.

"I'm afraid that he has stopped running." Hazel feared.

"Don't talk like that Hazel. I'm sure he's clever enough to maneuver the fox and he may be on his way back here now." I comforted.

Before Hazel could say another word, we heard rustle from a bush and turns out to be Bigwig. We were relieved that he managed to escape from the fox, as everyone was happy to see him. However, I looked at Hazel and he was a bit stern at him.

"We thought we lost you that time. You ol' digger you." Hawkbit said.

"Takes more of a fox and a couple of _Efrafa_ _Owsla_ to bother me." Bigwig boasts.

"An _Efrafa_ patrol?" Tyler questioned.

"Yes lad, but they wouldn't be able to follow us, because they were taken by the fox." Bigwig answered.

"That was an idiotic risk!" Hazel exclaimed sternly.

"What's tickling your ears?!" Bigwig questions Hazel, as he comes face to face.

"You're no use to us if you're dead!"

"And what was I suppose to do? Let the fox find the rest of you huddling behind a waterfall!" Bigwig shouted.

"He might not found us." Hazel explained.

"That's your trouble, Hazel. You wanted the world safe and nice. Well the world isn't like that, get use to it." Bigwig scolded.

"Enough! Look, we're alive that's all it matters! Hazel found a good hiding spot. Bigwig could have hid, but the fox was probably around the corner and spotted him. If he would have gone through the fall and been observed by the fox, it would have got all of us. As if the fox would have peeked through." Tyler stood up and I had to give him credit. "If we're going to _Efrafa,_ we need to go now and less arguing."

Both Hazel and Bigwig sighed after hearing Tyler's spot.

"He's right, now let's get going, unless you think it's too dangerous." Bigwig said and went off ahead. We couldn't be able to go off unless everybody follows Hazel. Hazel began to think until he shook his head and proceeded on, as we follow them both.

* * *

We than arrived at the bridge and we spotted Kehaar underneath it, as he's trying to catch some fish.

"Alright, we made it to the bridge and Kehaar is here. However, what's up with your ears Tyler?" Bigwig questioned

"Me?" Tyler asked.

"Yes, because you came to help us and I thought that you may have some connection to _Efrafa_." Bigwig wondered.

"For me taking their side, no. However, me ended up being there yes." Tyler shook up his nerve and answered.

Everyone listened to Tyler's story about how he came to _Efrafa_ and how he got out.

 _Flashback begins_

I was trying to find my way around, as I was out at the fields. I than spotted a group of rabbits that I would find out later they were from _Efrafa_. They surrounded me and despite of them being tough and they were some many rabbits. I had no choice to surrender to Vervain and his _Owsla_.

"What do we have here?" Vervain questioned.

"I'm Tyler. Tyler Damien. Please, I don't want any trouble. I came here from another part of the world and I kinda lost my way." I answered.

The _Owsla_ looked at each other and whisper among each other until Vervain spoke what I thought he was kind. "We're going to take you to our warren, _Efrafa_. And there, you'll tell us everything you know to our leader, General Woundwart."

"I'll go with you. Just please don't harm me." I said cringed in fear.

"Nothing to worry about. As soon you're in _Efrafa_ , you'll be right as rain." Vervain creepingly patted my head.

They than took me to _Efrafa_ , where they had me greeted to their leader General Woundwart. He appeared frighteningly looking, but it didn't stop me from facing him and asking him, if I could stay here.

"Who are you?" General Woundwart asked me.

"My name is Tyler Damien, sir. I came from another part of the world and I lost my way. I came with your _Owsla_ , for I was certain that I could find sancu-" I turned around to see the _Owsla_ was curious about my special vest backpack.

"Please, kindly don't stare at my stuff like that." I begged the _Owsla_ surrounding me. General Woundwart told them to clear away my space, as I turned back towards him. "Anyway, I was hoping that I would find sanctuary here, sir."

General Woundwart smiled and had a rabbit named Campion escorted me to a burrow, where I was given shelter. However, I only stayed here only for a day after I decided to wander around to see other rabbits were fearful, as they were being victimized by the _Owsla_. They even had certain times that we could go outside, until we have to come back in. Most of the rabbits starved, but mostly attacked from their _Owsla_ tearing their ears and/or clawing at them. I knew I had to make an escape, so I decided to go at nightfall when everyone is nearly asleep. I managed to reach the outside above ground, until I was being spotted by Vervain and his _Owsla_. I ran for my life and I continued to run, suddenly a fox came out of no where from the bushes and gained his speed to pounce on two _Efrafa_ _Owsla_ rabbits, as I continued to flee, until I was far enough to be away from there.

 _Flashback ended_

"In the next day, I still wandered in the woods, until I was being trapped into a cage by a human and I was taken to the farm, where I met my newly adopted mother, Clover and later on you guys." Tyler summarized his story.

"There's nothing to fear about it now." Hawkbit said.

"We would make sure that you wouldn't be caught by them and send back." Hazel said.

"Still, I don't understand why are you trying to go back for? You had a choice to stay with your mother and the rest of the _Owsla_." Bigwig questioned.

"I wanted to save other rabbits, who doesn't deserve to be treated this way." Tyler answered. Bigwig didn't had any words, until he nodded his head and approved.

Although, Tyler managed to keep some of the details about being from another world was concealed. Bigwig still had questions about Tyler, but he decided to slide it, because we're at an important mission that we need to do. We went downhill underneath the bridge and met up with Kehaar.

"Kehaar. You were supposed to meet us at the plank bridge." Hazel told Kehaar.

"Plank bridge gone." Kehaar said.

"I know it's gone. We were waiting there for you."

"You're here now. Cross this bridge." Kehaar said, before ducking his head for more fish, as he was trying to bob for some apples. We went back up and cross the broken bridge to the other side. Bigwig started to sniff around the trails.

" _Efrafa_ patrol. Fresh scent." Bigwig revealed the scent.

"They must be guarding the bridge time to time." I said.

"Yes, as they just left." Bigwig added, before sniffing again. "Ohhh, I'll bet _Bobstones_ to beach nuts, Woundwart got his troops watching all the bridges."

"So they'll be back soon." Hazel figures. We than went downhill to hide underneath the bridge once more. Hazel than begins to doubt about the plan itself.

"We have to rethink this raid." Hazel was hesitant.

I was shocked to hear that he was second guessing of the plan itself or the approach of the plan. Bigwig was still determined however. "We came to get Primrose, Blackavar, and Sandy. What's to think about?"

"Getting away in one piece." Hazel answered. I didn't really thought about how to get out and everyone started to think twice.

"Hazel's got a point. Let's rethink it back home. Hmm?" Hawkbit suggested. Bigwig growled at him, as Hawkbit was feared from him.

"But we can't think back at home, we need to just quickly think about our getaway." I said.

"I've just have about enough of you. I say we get it done, now!" Bigwig exclaimed.

"Well wait a minute-" I tried to speak.

"Alright, say we do get them out and Woundwart sends his army after us." Hazel said.

"Then Kehaar does his hawk act to keep them occupied. We run like mad back here." Bigwig added.

"That would be enough, but I do-"

"Right! And there's an _Efrafa_ patrol blocking the bridge! Then what?!" Hazel questions.

"Would you STOP INTERRUPTING AND LISTEN TO ME HAZEL AND BIGWIG! SHUT UP!" I had enough and I had to silence them. "What if I tried to start an uprising."

Everyone gasped from what I thought was radical.

"A uprising against Woundwart?! How?" Bigwig asked.

"I'll try to motivate a certain group of rabbits, who are against him that could inspire others." I answered.

"Not everyone is going to believe you." Hazel disagrees.

"Not everyone would you're right. However, we could gain some of the rabbits' trust. It would start to get some ideas into place." I explained. "And that Hazel, they could try to stall their _Owsla_ long enough to make our escape."

"And leaving others to suffer?!" Fiver questioned my plan.

"We can't pin point if all would suffer. Some may be successful to escape, some maybe captured, or some would be dead in combat. It may cost a sacrifice, but it won't be vain." I went on further.

"You'll talk but no action. I'll watch for the bridge patrol, while Hazel is decides on how fast we should run away." Bigwig moped and went off.

I shook my head, as he was trying to rush it. "I'll be back Hazel and try to reason with him."

"I'll join you." Tyler followed me also.

"Be careful." Hazel warned us. Tyler and I nodded our heads and tried to catch up with Bigwig.

* * *

We climbed up to see Bigwig entered the woods and we started to follow him. As we tried to be stealthy as possible, Bigwig stopped and sniffed us out, and the next is that he pounced on top of me, as Tyler dodged a near miss.

"What are you lots following me?!" Bigwig's patient was thin.

"We had to see you and try to explain that our plan would work. It's just we need to find our way out though." I answered.

"And you suppose your little revolt will be the answer?"

"No, he was trying to say is that we need to find our escape route to get back home, in case we're being perused." Tyler explained.

Bigwig sighed, as usual. "I'm sorry I was rough, but we can't just think it through again. We need to take our action!"

"Yes, but how are we going to get in?" I asked.

"You two give yourselves up, as I take you both in." Bigwig suggested.

"What?!" me and Tyler exclaimed.

"Think about, I'll be trying to fit in with their _Owsla_ , as you two would be trying to gather some rabbits with high spirits to make a revolt." Bigwig explained.

"Still, when I was there, not many would stand up to them." Tyler added. "They're too fearful to fight back."

"We just need to encourage them and lift their spirits to create a just cause." I stated.

"We'll find their patrol and we'll surrender ourselves, as I try to join them." Bigwig planned.

Someone in the back of my mind, I felt like that I know how it's going to turn down for Bigwig, presuming the worst of him. Bigwig and Tyler started to head their way towards _Efrafa_.

"Bigwig."

"What is it, champ?" Bigwig said.

I didn't have one: the guts or trying to explain that it may not entirely work, if they caught him. "Nevermind, it's nothing."

"You still coming and going to plan right?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah... without doubt." I didn't understand why I began to think twice.

Maybe I was starting to become fearful that nobody would trust us, or Bigwig would get the serve punishment if he was caught in a dragnet between me, Tyler, and the maybe the rest of the imprisoned _Efrafa_ rabbits willing to fight. When we arrived at _Efrafa_ , Tyler began to shiver, as he had told us about his short stay there. We were than rounded up by one of the rabbit's names that I remembered from my first encounter, Campion.

"You'll be presented by General Woundwart and do not try to trick him." Campion warned us.

"Oh no, we'll won't double cross our boss now, won't we." I was being a smart-ass, as if I was being caught. Even Bigwig remained in character, as he even slapped me on the back.

"You'll watch your tongue!" Bigwig scolded. Tyler didn't have to say it twice, as he remembered and he wanted to forget about it, but he was certain to even his score.

Campion presented himself to General Woundwart and chatted about their new prisoners and a new _Owsla_ rabbit. Bigwig than went first, as me and Tyler followed and we stopped next to Campion and Vervain. Tyler turned his face away from Vervain's face.

"General Woundwart! Bigwig, sir! At your service." Bigwig greeted himself and our mission is underway...

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas into this episode.


	22. Episode 8: Escape From Efrafa Part 1

Escape From Efrafa Part 1

I day dreamed that I was back at the states. Waking up in my bed, from an alarm on my phone. The time was 6:05 a.m. and I began my day to get ready for work for my opening shift. When I got out of my house, it was still dark and I hopped into my car to warm up the vehicle. I started to play some country songs to start up my morning, as the car warms up. Soon after, I began driving and at one point, when I arrived and surprisingly it was still dark and I looked at my phone to see time is frozen. When I parked my car in the parking lot, I got out of my car and saw three buildings being constructed next a McDonald's. Since no one was at sight, I decided to sneak over there to investigate the construction site. I used to remember that it was a small field. When I came, I saw a rabbit that it was being snared. I pull out my box-cutter to free the rabbit. It stood up in two feet and gazed at me, as I saw Vervain's face. I froze and I couldn't move, as I began to go downsized he got closer to me.

"Where are you from, human?" Vervain questioned me.

My world started to fade, as I woke back up into the rabbit's reality. I slightly looked around to see that I was back at _Efrafa_ and I fell asleep standing, while Bigwig was introducing himself to his new chief.

"Stay awake, while you're in Woundwart's presence you fool!" Vervain scolded.

I remained silent, as a prisoner should be silent.

"I've heard it said that the chief of _Efrafa_ is a leader of warriors." Bigwig spoke.

"Yes. And?" General Woundwart respond.

"I'm a wanderer and a warrior looking for a chief, who will appreciate my talents." Bigwig added.

"Where do you come from, wanderer?" General Woundwart asked.

"Sandleford Warren. A long journey sir on the path of the Setting Sun. It lies in ruins now, destroyed by man... certainly this man here." Bigwig answered and accused me for his warren's destruction and leaving me with upset.

"Man! May _Frith_ burn the flesh from his bones!" General Woundwart curses.

In disbelief that I had to stand up to other humans, who care or have no voice. "No!"

The gasp came from the rabbits in present, except Woundwart. He became furious. "I beg your pardon?!"

"I'm not responsible for this rabbit's home destruction!" I protested my innocence.

"Andrew, what are you doing?" Tyler whispered quietly.

"There are humans may be responsible. However, it doesn't mean you have to curse out every human is at fault, even myself!" I ranted.

General Woundwart growled. "I should remind you when you are to remain silence, as you're not permitted to speak, unless spoken too!"

Bigwig than grabbed me by the arm. "If you wanted, with your permission sir is to execute this human?" I looked at him after he spoke, and he gave me a eye wink of assurance.

"So... you're a warrior, are you?" Woundwart than asked Bigwig, as he went back to subject about Bigwig as _Owsla_ material. "Could you fight..." I began to have my shoulders straight for inevitable. "...him." Woundwart pointed his claw at Vervain, leaving him with a shock. Bigwig quickly tackled him into the ground.

"Shall I kill him, instead of the man, sir?" Bigwig asked for permission.

The general smiled at the amazement of Bigwig's fighting abilities. "Not today... even this man." I let out of a relief that I was spared, but disappointed that Vervain is Scott-free.

"I appoint you probationary captain of _Owsla_." General Woundwart gave Bigwig a position for the _Efrafa_ _Owsla_. "Captain Campion." Campion stood up straight and was ready for his orders from his general. "Instruct Bigwig in the ways of _Efrafa_."

Campion bowed his head for the task and loyalty. He than had Bigwig to follow him, leaving me and Tyler behind with the General himself and Vervain. However, Vervain tries to follow both Campion and Bigwig.

"Hold! Captain Vervain." Woundwart ordered. "This Bigwig has an odd scent about him. Watch him closely."

"Yes General." Vervain gladly accepts.

"And it's nice of you... Tyler to come back. I hope you don't make this as your second offense." he snarled at Tyler.

"Ye- yes sir." Tyler admits.

"Since you know so much about this warren, why don't you show this 'man' around and the routines as a prisoner." Woundwart tasked Tyler.

"B-b-but General?! Tyler escaped and he has ought to suffer for his first offense, punishable by death!" Vervain exclaimed.

"You questioned 'The Great General Woundwart'?" Woundwart questioned.

Vervain was left stuttered. "N-N-No sire. If the General wishes to spare him."

"He was once our guest and now he's a prisoner, so too this 'man'. Now... do as I instruct you and watch Bigwig." Woundwart stated, before leaving to retire himself. Vervain glared at us with anger and hate.

"Leave now and go to your burrows. Now!" Vervain ordered us. Tyler and I headed our way towards the tunnels, as he showed me around.

* * *

We're now in the tunnel, passing through each burrows as the rabbits stared at us and whisper to each other. I looked at them and recalled that I was here before with Hazel and Fiver, and/or other stories that they try to come up or gossip.

"I wonder why they're interested in me?" I asked Tyler.

"Probably because you were here before and not to much, you're 'human'." Tyler answered.

"I just hope we could try to come up some certain plan for the revolt and escape plan to work." I hoped.

"You have good plans, we'll just navigate while we're _silflaying_ outside, before being confined in our burrows. There we could know it well enough that we could come up with a one day escape plan and revolt." Tyler suggested.

I nodded, as I gained his trust and what we're doing and planning. As we came to an empty burrow, I unstrapped my travelpack and sat on the ground. Two rabbits and a woman came into our burrow.

"Tyler?!" Primrose and Blackavar immediately recognized Tyler, as I saw Sandy gasped as she know him also.

"Primrose, Blackavar, Sandy!" Tyler remembered their faces.

"What happened and how did you got back here?" Blackavar asked.

"I escaped, but I ended up being caught, by a farmer, where I was taken to be in a cage. That's where I met my new mom Clover and she adopted me." Tyler explained.

Sandy smiled and signed with her fingers, as she was happy for Tyler.

"That's wonderful!" Primrose interpret's Sandy.

I than realized that she was different when I first met her and I knew she was signing American Sign Language. I remembered taking two straight courses of it in my community college years and I nearly forgot, but I remembered the basics and finger-spelling.

"However, we were free from Andrew, Hazel, Fiver, and Pipkin from Watership Down." Tyler continued.

"Hazel?!" Primrose was surprised.

"Yes and we came with Bigwig to get you guys out with an revolt underway." I added.

"What?! How?" Blackavar questioned in doubt.

"We'll need to know the warren quickly enough, encourage many rabbits as possible, and with Bigwig's help; we'll find an escape route and regroup where Hazel and everybody is waiting." I answered.

Sandy was in shock, came to me and started to sign. "How can you plan this revolt, with every rabbit's lives are at in stake?" Primrose interpret's again.

I wanted to explain to her how, but since I forgotten how to sign, I was disappointed in myself with shame. "I don't know."

Sandy touched my hand, smiled and finger-spelled. "It's okay."

I was amazed that she understood me and I started to sign and speak. "How? Are you deaf?"

Sandy signed back, as I interpret. "I'm not deaf, but mute." She than lifted her face and turned towards her left, as she showed me scars on her right side cheek.

"How did that happened?" I spoke, while signing.

She than began to sign, as Tyler understood her signing. "Vervain clawed at me, as I tried to escape."

Heartbroken, I knew she was in danger to herself like everyone else. The scars reminded me of a late movie I have seen _The Shape of Water_ that the main character Elisa was a mute and she happened to meet and fall in love with an Amphibian man, while working as a janitor cleaner at a government facility. However, I did saw Sandy's scars were in bright green specks of leaves or plants to cover her wounds.

"Whatever happens in the future and we have to encounter Vervain again, he'll pay for what he has done." I promised her.

* * *

An _Owsla_ rabbit hopped into our and ordered us to leave our burrows, as it was _silflaying_ time.

"This would be a good time to find our way around the outside burrow." Blackavar told me and Tyler, as we left our burrow.

We than followed the _Owsla_ rabbits to go outside to the see it's fissure, as it was when me, Hazel and Fiver came. We than climbed our way up and there we are able to walk/hop around for a short period of time, before being ordered back in. At the same time, as Tyler and I wandered the small area, we overheard Bigwig and Campion were talking above us.

"Seems like Bigwig has an easier task than ours." I moped.

"Well at least we get to see some faces that knows us better." Tyler lightened up.

I lifted up my shirt and reached for my pocket to grab the left over TNT bottle rockets from my travel pack, that was from the News Year celebrations event at London that me and Walter attended. "If I could light these up at a weakest spot, it could tumble on some of the _Owsla_ rabbits gaining ourselves an upper hand."

"Your light won't last long, it may happen in seconds." Tyler said.

"There has to be a way to stall some time, before it could detonate itself." I said. Tyler started to look at some of the grass, dirt, and noticed some strings falling out from my shirt. He than tear off a line of long strings and started to dig a speck amount of dirt.

"Do you have a bottle of water?" Tyler asked me.

I pulled out the bottle of water for me to drink. He took it and lightly drip on the dirt to make it a mud. He than attached the strings with mud to the lighting point of the bottle rockets. "There, it may give us enough time to have a slow light."

Before I could I light, we heard a voice that came from behind us to see it was Blackavar. "What are you doing?"

"We're planting some bottle rockets that could create a hole." I answered.

"Bottle rockets?"

"They're fireworks that humans light and explode into different sequences. However, we need to find a weak hole that we could plant it." Tyler explained.

Blackavar went into thought and remembered. "I know where." He took us to a weak hole spot. "That's where Primrose and I dug."

Tyler gently placed his paw on the weaken spot. "It'll be perfect." I than placed the TNT at the spot and light it from Tyler's improvised string and it slowly started to ignite the fuse.

"I hope it doesn't create fires." Tyler sternly said to me.

"I doubt it, I never tried on grass before." I believed.

We than went back to meet up with Primrose and Sandy. Primrose notices the newly appointed _Owsla_ rabbit.

"There's something different about that new rabbit." Primrose said to us.

"That's Bigwig, he came with us to help you guys out." Tyler whispered.

"It won't be long, before he's just like the rest." Blackavar doubts.

"He'll help us, you just need to believe." I explained. "I know how me and Tyler could trust him before in a time of need. I'm certain he'll help you three for sure."

The three nodded and trusted us. We than heard a scream of buck being beaten by an _Owsla_ buck. Sandy went into despair without any tears, as I looked at her.

"This happens almost like everyday, even when I try to go to sleep, and no one stops it." Sandy signs, as Tyler interprets. We continued to watch the buck beating on the defenseless rabbit. My heart began to ache, as it was telling me to do something.

"Someone needs to stop it right now!" I said in anger and I started to head over there, as Sandy tries to stop me.

"It won't help, as I tried to stop it, but you'll end up like everybody else that tries to stand up." Sandy signed again.

"Nobody should have to go through with this!" I exclaimed, before I started to run towards the beating rabbit and try to stop the _Owsla_ buck to stop beating him. "Leave him alone! What has he done?!"

The _Owsla_ rabbit growled. "He's attempt wander off to find more food. His punishment is justify for a beating."

"He's hungry, don't you understand! He'll die without any food!" I than grabbed a bag of sliced apples from my pocket. The hungered rabbit saw the slices of apples and he began to drool. "Please let me help him!"

"What's going on here?!" Campion went to question us.

"Sir, the rabbit tries to escape for more food and he needs to be punish." the buck explained.

"A punishment by beating a rabbit to find food?! He's starving like everybody else!" I shouted that got the rabbits attention towards me. "Just let him eat and leave him alone!"

Campion sighed. "Just let him go." he ordered the buck to be relief, while I started to feed the starving rabbit. The rabbit became relieved as he enjoys the taste of sliced apples. Tyler and Sandy came towards me with a bottle of water that Tyler and I used to pour out, have some water left. After the apples were gone, I gave the rabbit some water to relieve his thirst.

"Time's up for this mark. Get them back underground." Campion than ordered the _Owsla_ bucks to have the prisoners to go back to our burrows. I got the rabbit back on his feet and we joined the rest of the group of rabbits and Sandy to go under. As we headed our way back to the fissure, Bigwig whispered to Primrose. Until I got to him he whispered back to me.

"Don't try to get yourselves killed." Bigwig warned me.

"You too and I won't." I whispered back.

When we got back inside of the warren, Tyler and I followed Primrose, Blackavar, and Sandy back to our burrow. "I knew he was different. Like Tyler and Andrew said, Bigwig is going to help us. Hazel sent him with Tyler and Andrew also." she told Blackavar and Sandy.

"He's going to get us out." Blackavar said. "How?!"

"He... will... do it." Sandy signs and Primrose interprets. "If I could trust him with Andrew and Tyler, so could Primrose and you."

"One rabbit against Woundwart and his entire _Owsla_?!" Blackavar doubts.

"Four rabbits, Blackavar, with Sandy and Andrew." Primrose corrects him.

"And a few other rabbits to join you." a voice came outside of our burrow. We turned around to see a small group of spirited rabbits.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"The name's Shadow. We heard what happened to our lad, Comet. You gave him food and water, as he was near to face _The Black Rabbit_." the brown and gray rabbit spoke. "And we heard that there's a revolt and an escape plan underway?"

"Yes, but it'll take all of us to work together to pay this off." Tyler answered.

Shadow and the other rabbits next to him looked at each other and decided to join us. They came into our burrow and we gathered around in a circle. "So, what's the plan, lads?"

"The plan is that we have an insider with us, in the name of Bigwig." Tyler started.

"The one with a funny mane." I joked.

The rabbits chuckled from the light humor. "I think we have seen him around recently now." Shadow said.

"Good. He'll lead us out, but how? Blackavar showed us a weak spot above ground that Andrew and I placed a decoy to trap some of the _Owsla_ , giving us advantage for our escape. From there, we may need to fight to fend ourselves from them, if possible, until we get to the rendezvous point by underneath a bridge." Tyler planned.

"Alright, so where is our escape route?" Shadow asked us.

"There is." Primrose answered and she showed us work has been done by her, Blackavar, and Sandy. "This is the part that we're trying to unblock, as we moved the sticks away, we've got to be ready when the time comes. We need some rabbits, including Blackavar to keep watch. I'll go check on the escape tunnel." Primrose and Sandy went along to check for preparations for the escape tunnel.

"Comet, Stem, watch for _Owsla_ rabbits coming by here! Rest of you on me." Shadow took command and Blackavar joined them, as Tyler and I went over to guard with them.

"Escape from _Efrafa_. Please _Frith_." Blackavar prayed.

"You believed in _Frith_?" Tyler asked.

"Yes, I do." Blackavar answered.

"Just keep on praying to find our way out of here." Tyler encourages him, as Blackavar continues to pray. Tyler than looked at me. "Do you believe?"

"I don't. I'm a Christian and believe in Jesus Christ." I answered.

"I say with _Frith_ or no _Frith_ , we need all the prayers we could get." Shadow said, before resuming to be on guard.

"So if you escape, are you willing to stay with us in a new warren? We could use _Owsla_ rabbits such as you and everybody else." I offered.

"I doubt it lad. We're only here to help you, so we could be free to have a warren of our own, or die trying." Shadow stated.

I knew that they're willing to give themselves up and I knew it would be dangerous for them. "I can't thank you enough Shadow, for you and everybody else."

"It's best to keep believing that there's life than living in this hell-hole." Shadow said. "If we're caught, we're willing to be executed than to live for another day here in _Efrafa_."

"Everyone has a chance to enjoy life for all creatures... even you." Tyler added to enlighten Shadow. However, Shadow knew it was his one way trip to escape for freedom and possibly join us to Watership Down... or suffer being captured and executed under General Woundwart's wrath.

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Note: There would be more character development for the character Sandy and I'm not trying to offend anyone, who is deaf, hard-hearing, and/or mute. I have taken two courses of American Sign Language in community college and I have respect for those, who are deaf, hard-hearing, and mute. Also please stay tuned for the next episode.


	23. Episode 8: Escape From Efrafa Part 2

Escape From Efrafa Part 2

After our conversation, Primrose and Sandy came back from their escape tunnel to check the progress, as Shadow and his comrades regroup.

"No sign of _Efrafa_ _Owsla_ yet." Stem spoke to Shadow.

"Good, we'll just be around the corner and let us know when the time is near." Shadow told us.

"We'll." Tyler assured. Shadow and his faithful comrades left the burrow. Comet stopped for a moment to come back towards me.

"You're Andrew right?" he asked.

"Yes." I replied.

"I have to say thank you for what you have done and standing up to those beasts." Comet thanked.

"You were hungry and I'm sure you were trying to look for food." I said.

"Not exactly. I was trying to leave the warren to find a new home and food. I was on relief from my probation and I try to find another way to escape. However, I was being stopped and suspected that I was attempting to escape once again and I was subjected into a beating from the _Owsla_."

I than realized that he was trying to cover his real motive to escape rather than he was just trying to simply to state he was starving. "Why don't you come with us?"

"Where?"

"To Watership Down. I have been living there for quite a bit and the rabbits are trustworthy. And you'll be safe there." I convinced.

"If I have escape from _Efrafa_ alive, I'll try to find you." he decided.

"There would be a bridge and underneath it is a boat. Where we will ride out of there." I told him our location where we'll regroup.

Comet nodded his head and left the burrow. I went over to Primrose, Sandy, and Tyler.

"Everything's set?" I asked them.

"We're ready." Sandy signs and Primrose intercepts.

"Good. Now we just need to have Shadow and his men meet here, as well for Bigwig." Tyler said, as he leaves the burrow to have Shadow and his rabbits met with us.

"So Sandy, how did you come here?" I asked.

She smiled and signed. "What about you?"

"Let's just say I had a funny accident. I was traveling with a friend and we got separated, you see than I ended having my head bonked from a falling branch and I passed out." I answered.

"And that's where he met with Hazel and the others." Primrose finished and Sandy chuckled.

"So what happened and how did you get here?" I than asked Sandy.

Her smile faded, as Primrose interprets. "I was visiting to see my grandfather at the Southern Wales for a month."

"You're from the United States?" I asked.

"Yes. One day, as my grandfather and I were traveling, we some wildlife rabbits around that he decided to document. There we decided to camp for one night. In the next morning, we found out that we were shrunk to the size of rabbits. It amazed my grandfather that we have to find and visit a warren to know more about the rabbits lifestyle. We came to visit a warren not far from we have camped the rabbits were curious and a bit frightened that a two humans came to there warren. From there they taught us their cultures and lifestyle they lived, as we taught them with our culture, lifestyle, and of course American Sign Language that I was highly interested with." Sandy said through her signing.

"Wow. So your grandfather must have been a zoologist." I guessed.

"He was."

"Than what happened?" I was afraid to ask how did she end up in _Efrafa_.

Sandy than gave me a sad expression and her signing started slow, before going back to normal speed. "A group of foreign rabbits from another warren invaded the friendly warren. One of the rabbits was dark gray and black all over him."

"Vervain." I guessed.

"Yes. The chief of the warren, we visited tried to reason with them, suddenly Vervain attacked the chief. The warren's _Owsla_ tried to defend their chief, but they were overpowered by the _Efrafa_ _Owsla_. Some of the friendly rabbits from this tried to help us escape, however it came to an end, when the _Efrafa_ rabbits surrounded us. Vervain stepped forward and announced that we're being relocated back to their warren. Most of the does had no choice to follow them with their children and few of the bucks followed, as the most fought back and died. Soon after we arrived, my grandfather refused to be accepted as their prisoner and also standing up for humans, whom are innocent that they don't destroy warrens." She than began to tear, as Primrose placed her paw on Sandy's shoulder.

"I think I what happens and you don't have to go any further, if you're uncomfortable." I understood what happened next, as Sandy refused to go on any further. "I'm sorry you have to go through with this." Sandy went over to me and hugged me, as she began to cry. I comforted her to assure her that her grandfather is with her in her heart and memories that he would never leave her.

"After it happened, Blackavar and myself looked after her, as we lived here before." Primrose said.

I nodded. Tyler, Shadow, and Shadow's rabbits came back to meet with us. "Primrose said it's finished."

"Yes." Primrose replied.

"I'll go wait out for Bigwig to have him met with us." I decided and I looked back at Sandy, before I let her go. "Don't worry, you'll have your freedom soon. I promise."

She than signed. "No more promises. More action."

"We will and you'll see the light of day." I said, before I picked up my travel pack and left the burrow.

* * *

After I left the burrow, I started to hear ambiances of suffering echoing throughout the tunnels, dark, damp, and uncomfortable to live there, if I was a rabbit. As I was walking around to find Bigwig, I stumbled upon two rabbits one was lightly brown and another dark silver colored. When they opened their green eyes, they were afraid to come near me, as I was a stranger to them and man. I unstrapped my pack and try to see any more food I have left. Luckily, I still have some carrots that I brought along a field that I passed through on our way to _Efrafa_. I pulled two carrots and tried to offer them some food. They scooted away.

"It's alright. It's for the both of you. Take it." I encouraged them. The lightly brown rabbit came close, as he tries to sniff the delicious carrots. He slowly crawled towards me and tries to bow.

"You don't to bow, just take it. It's alright." I told him that the bow was unnecessary. After he got to my hand, he snatched the carrots and gave one to the fellow rabbit, as the two hopped away quickly. I watched them leave, as I have a smile on my face from what I did. I was certain that it would relieve them from their hunger for the time being.

"Poor beasts." I heard Bigwig's voice from behind me. I looked back to see it was him and felt horrified from the rabbits, whom are imprisoned.

"I even thought our kind of way treating each other is more horrific than this. However it's a comparison." I said.

"Don't worry, lad. I'm sure some would try to escape with us." Bigwig patted my shoulder with his paw. "Any news yet?"

"We made progress and we maybe ready." I answered in whisper, as we walked from where I came from without revealing our true intentions with the enemy. "Primrose, Blackavar, and Sandy got their tunnels for escape, Tyler and I planted some decoy from above that could tumble on the enemy _Owsla_ , during our fight and/or escape, also we have strong-willed rabbits are willing to escape with us or die trying."

"Good. I don't know how your revolt may work, but not many rabbits are willing to escape or fight." Bigwig said.

"You're right. That's why we only have a few that could help us and make a run for it." I explained.

Bigwig nodded. "I almost forgot something."

"What?"

"How about that doe of yours... or woman in this matter?" Bigwig tried to lighten with a little joke that after I heard about Sandy's side of the story, it wasn't funny.

"It's not a joking matter, we need to create. You don't know her side of the story. She was taken here with her grandfather, while visiting your guys world and to know about rabbits. And her grandfather was executed I believe upon arrival, as they came with another rabbits that were captured from another warren." I exclaimed.

Bigwig sighed. "I'm sorry lad. I guess I would have to meet with her to know more."

We than heard Primrose's voice trying to get our attention, while waving to us. Me and Bigwig than followed Primrose back to our burrow, where we met with her, Blackavar, Tyler, Sandy, Shadow, and his rabbits. Tyler hopped to us and introduced Bigwig. Shadow and his rabbits, and Blackavar were unsure about him, as Sandy and Primrose knew that he could be trusted.

"This is the rabbit, whom came with us and we'll get you all out." Tyler introduced Bigwig.

"I'm Bigwig. Hazel sent the three of us to get you all out." Bigwig greeted himself.

"We're ready." Primrose told Bigwig.

"Good lass. If we can get clear in the certain parts of warren without raising a fuss, we've got a chance." Bigwig added.

"We're going to make a break through it." Primrose said.

"Primrose, are you sure about him?" Blackavar asked.

"Yes."

"And I suppose you'll get all of us out without a doubt?" Shadow asked Bigwig.

"Yes we'll." Bigwig answered.

"We're waiting for a good opportunity, as if some try to block our way out, we'll fight to the end." Shadow was committed.

"Do you know how to fight?" Bigwig asked.

"Comet. Come here son." Shadow called for Comet, as he came over.

"You two are father and son?" I asked.

"Yes, were both in the _Owsla_ like my father before me and taught me everything to know." Comet answered. Shadow and Comet got into position and performed some combat skills that they both learned. Bigwig was impressed.

"Good, in case we have caught ourselves in a struggle, we'll know how fight back, before we could proceed on with our escape." Bigwig added. Primrose removed the sticks to show Bigwig the escape tunnel and we began to here some sort of wailing ambiance.

"What was that?" I asked.

"You'll get use to it hearing it more, son." Shadow answered.

Bigwig, Tyler, and I peeked through the tunnel. "The tunnel leads up to the embankment, behind the guard." Primrose explained about the tunnel's path.

"And somewhere in that path above us, could be our demolition decoy." Tyler told us. "If those _Efrafa_ _Owsla_ rabbits came into our path, we need to be ready."

We came out from the tunnel and impressed with Primrose's digging experience to create a underground tunnel to freedom.

"Hazel was right about you." Bigwig commended. "Now, we'll just go before sunset. I'm off for one last look around the boundaries."

"Bigwig, wait." I stopped him, before he could exit out the burrow. He came back and I looked back at Sandy, as she came forward. "This is Sandy, who I told you about."

"Hello my dear." Bigwig friendly greeted.

She than began to sign and Bigwig was confused. "What is she saying?"

"She's saying that if you, me, and Tyler are going to help us. Help us leave this nightmare." I interpreted. She than showed Bigwig the scars she had endured on her right cheek. Bigwig shook his head and understood why she couldn't speak.

"Don't worry lass, whomever did this to you. He'll pay under my paws." Bigwig was committed to help her find out who did this to her.

As Bigwig removed a last bit of tear off from her eyes, she grabbed his paw and kissed it. "Thank you." she signed, as she tried to speak, but her vocal cords were silence from her scars. Heartbroken, Bigwig refused to show his tears, instead he remain optimistic, as he looked back at all of us.

"And Bigwig... please don't killed. I'm fearing something would happen before we could pull it off." I feared.

"Back up lasses and lads, we'll pull it off." Bigwig cheered everyone's spirits up, as he left the burrow.

"Maybe we will." Blackavar started to believe.

"You began to have faith, Blackavar. It'll pay off to the end." I commended him.

* * *

It's been over an hour since, we're now waiting to have our chance to make an escape and revolt. I still fear the worst of Bigwig.

"What's up with your ears?" Tyler asked, as he and Sandy came over and sat down with me.

"I don't know. I'm fearing if it pulled off or not, I'm fearing the worst that something would happen to Bigwig." I feared. "I thought it seen it before." I tried to deeply think and remember, if I have seen it happened before. I think and think, until my head begins to hurt.

"It's probably just in your head and you're doubting." Tyler suggested.

"I know, but I still have that feeling that Bigwig..." I than gasped and slightly began to remember. "He said he's going to wander around the perimeters and he'll be arrested and taken to Woundwart by Vervain!"

"That's ridiculous! Even if it did happen, Bigwig would be clever enough to trick them to remain loyal in disguise." Tyler said.

"Yes, but all I remember was seeing Woundwart's claw and it was raised at Bigwig and my mind just went blank." I went on. "I'm worried about him."

"You have a vivid, but interesting imagination or dreams that make you suffer." Sandy signed as Tyler interprets.

I sighed. "Only if I was dreaming and I was back at home." Sandy than touched my hand and placed her other hand on my head and rubbed gently, as she smiled at me and I smiled back.

"I guess I could leave you two be." Tyler offered our privacy.

"No it's alright." I assured Tyler it isn't needed. Sandy and I got head to head, before we could try to make a kiss, a shout came from one of Shadow's men that we looked back.

"Vervain's coming!" he shouted at us.

Primrose concealed the escape tunnel, as the rest tried to come up with a conversation that doesn't relate to our escape. I looked back Sandy to assure her that sunset will be our time to escape. She nodded and smiled. Afterwards, Vervain and two of his _Owsla_ rabbits entered the burrow.

"General Woundwart wants to have a word with Tyler Damien and Andrew." Vervain smirked. The rabbits and Sandy gasped for me and Tyler. "You two are under arrest with Bigwig for conspiracy against _Efrafa_."

Tyler and I stood up and were about to leave, but Sandy went in front of us refused for us to leave.

"Sandy, you need to move aside, we'll fine and we'll come back." Tyler assured her, but she was hesitate and refused.

"Well... well." Vervain spoke to her. "The 'muted human' trying to defend criminals now, aren't you?" Sandy remained silent. "I see you can't talk and it would have been from the scars that you had was your punishment." He than tried to touch her cheek, as he was in lust for her and she backs away to Primrose.

"Don't touch her, you damned dog." I cursed and slapped at Vervain's paw. The _Owsla_ rabbits encircles me and Tyler. Vervain huffed and puffed, as his rabbits stepped back. All of the sudden, he quickly raised his paw and left scars in my left arm. I screamed in pain and fell onto the ground.

"Andrew!" Tyler rushed to my side and tries to shield me.

"You're very lucky, you didn't make a scratch on my paw! Next time, it'll be your life." Vervain threatened, as he and the rabbits exited the burrow. He than looked back to see Sandy finger-spelling word. I didn't get what she was trying to sign, as I looked back Vervain.

"What did you say?!" he questioned her.

She finger-spelled again and I realized it was the curse of all words that I refused to say what it was.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY? YOU BLACK HUMAN!" Vervain angrily shouted at Sandy.

"She said, nothing Vervain." Primrose assured him, not wanting Sandy to be punished. Vervain dismissed the remarks.

"I'll warn you, young lady! If you tried to pull that stunt again, you'll be punished and swiftly executed by Woundwart, as it happened to your... grandfather."

Sandy wanted to tackle on him, but Primrose pulled her back. "Save it. Please save it." Sandy took a deep breath and became calm.

"Now, Tyler and Andrew report to Woundwart at once!" Vervain shouted and left.

"Are you alright?" Tyler asked.

"I'm fine. Sandy, in my bag is a first-aid kit, there would be bandages to cover the bleeding." I told Sandy to grab my first-aid kit. Without asking where, she went over to my travel pack and found the kit and grabbed a wrap of bandages and a pair of scissors to cut them, as she began to pull some bandage wraps.

"Primrose, there'll be a bottle of water next to pack. Just pour some of it on my arm, quickly." I instructed Primrose to grab my water bottle. Sandy opened the bottle, gave it back to Primrose, and she poured the water on my scars. The stinging of pain lasted for a few seconds for an attempt to clean the wound. Sandy than wrapped the scars and covered it fast, as if she was a nurse like my mother.

"Thank you. To the both of you." I thanked both Sandy and Primrose. Sandy reached down and kissed me. The rabbits were surprised to see a man being kissed by a woman. They than remembered that it was common for bucks and does nuzzled and kissed. She than smiled for gratitude, defending her from Vervain.

"We'll be back. And be ready." I stood and told every to be prepared. Tyler and I than left the burrow and followed Vervain and his _Owsla_.

* * *

When we arrived, Tyler and I noticed Bigwig was already at present.

"Arrested too, I bet?" Tyler whispered.

Bigwig stood still in silent and upset, without doubt at Vervain.

"Do all three of you deny consorting the gull? The same gull whom's formed an unnatural alliance with Hazel and his alien warren?" Vervain accused us.

I began to laugh out of mockery of Vervain for this accusation. I continued to laugh, if I was a mad. The _Owsla_ rabbits were bit startled from my laugh, Vervain huffed and puffed as usual, Woundwart remained silent, and Bigwig and Tyler thought I was out of it.

"A gull?!" Bigwig questioned and I continued to laugh more. "Oh, that's quite a story Vervain."

"He's trying to go after us from jealousy and has no respect for anybody except himself. He's trying to pin point on someone that has no consort with." Tyler defended himself also.

"Unless this, man stops laughing like a mad dog, and answer my question!" Vervain burst.

I than stopped laughing. "You're more mad. More madder than a mad hatter at his tea parties and he's full of lead into his brain and you're on that also."

"Sir, Sir! The prisoners are out of order!" Vervain started to beg.

"False accusations will get you no where." I mocked him.

"You also can't beat me in combat, so you tear me down with lies!" Bigwig protested for his innocence. He was about ready to pounce on him, but Tyler and I restrained him from doing it.

"Don't do it!" I begged.

"Get your paws, off me!" Bigwig than pushed us to the side and pounced on Vervain. "I've going to belly of you, my son!" He raised his paw to strike Vervain, but stopped by Campion.

"Don't make it worse, Bigwig!"

"It's not worth it, Bigwig!" I begged. He was than restrained by two _Owsla_ rabbits, leaving Vervain shiver like a coward and a bully after being stood up against. Woundwart than landed a giant stomp that nearly shook the whole earth. Vervain was than relieved that his own rational justice would be served. Tyler and I waited waited dreadful to see what Woundwart's action would be upon Bigwig. He than raised his paw and I closed my eyes to think that Bigwig would be executed from attacking a captain of _Owsla_.

* * *

I than opened my eyes to see Bigwig still standing. Tyler was relieved. I didn't know what happened, until I went to Bigwig's side to see he has scars on his right shoulder. I became relieved and shook my head that I couldn't believe that he was spared.

"Your probationary period is over, Captain Bigwig." General Woundwart announced the promotion of Bigwig. "Of the shoulder mark. There's no fear in you. If your loyalty matches your courage, you'll do well in _Efrafa_. But you betray me, and I'll grind your bones to dust."

I gulped for the further punishment if Bigwig disobeyed and he'll have to at one point. "As for you, Vervain. I got duty, until further notice." Leaving Vervain surprised and upset from Woundwart's decision.

"Well you're one of us. Well done." Campion congratulated Bigwig.

"Thanks Campion." he thanked Campion and the four of us watched Vervain hopped away. "Can't say I'm looking forward to this promotion though." Bigwig, Tyler, and myself than left the meeting area and went back to the tunnels to return to the burrow.

"You silver tongue, dare-devil you. You nearly got yourself killed." I said.

Bigwig than looked at my bandage. "As did you I bet, my ol' son."

I looked at my bandage. "It's from Vervain, but it doesn't feel too much pain any more."

We than spotted two _Owsla_ rabbits ganging up on a blue-white rabbit. Bigwig intervened, as the _Owsla_ rabbits noticed the shoulder scar. They than let Bigwig decide for the rabbit's fate. Bigwig than dismissed the rabbit and it went on it's way. Soon afterwards, we continued our path to meet back with the others.

"I knew there were some softness in you." I said.

"I do, but not always." Bigwig went on.

"If something happens, I wish I would have known you better." I added.

Bigwig was surprised for me wanting to know much of his gentle side to him more. "Thank you, lad."

I nodded. We than arrived back to see everybody else waiting for us. They cheered silently to see that we're alive at one piece. Sandy ran towards me and gave me a big hug, as if a family member she hasn't seen for a long time is here.

"Alright you guys, ready?" I asked everyone.

Shadow and his men cheered.

"Now, let's go. It's time." Bigwig than commanded. "Now, for those whom are joining us, stay together. When we get in the open, run like _El-Ahrairah_."

We all nodded. "Wait, Bigwig! Take my son." Shadow asked to take Comet with us.

"Father?! I can't leave you!" Comet refuses.

"It's alright my dear son. You need to go on and live your life, as _Frith_ wanted you to. Including your mother." Shadow persuaded. Comet without words hugged his father in tears, as Shadow comforts. "This won't be the last time seeing each other. We'll see each other above ground, as planned. If not, your mother and I will see you in _Frith's Meadow_."

"I love you Father." Comet cleaned himself.

"I love you too, my dear son." Shadow nuzzled. "Now go, before it's too late."

Comet nodded and went along with us, as Bigwig looked back at Shadow. "You are a brave _Owsla_ soldier. I should have you promote as captain, if you make it out alive."

"Thank you my ol' son." Shadow thanked him.

"We'll look after him." I promised him. He nodded and turned back to his comrades. "Alright lads, it's time to show them, what a real _Owsla_ is! Move out!"

Bigwig took me, Tyler, Sandy, Comet, Primrose, and Blackavar down the tunnel and we started to hear fireworks above us.

"What is that?!" Bigwig looked above us to see the dirt started to burn.

"That's our decoy! We have to make our escape that'll distract the _Owsla_ , to be ambushed by Shadow's men!" I explained.

"Alright, now on the double!" Bigwig commanded us. We than hurried to find the hole a top of us.

"There's our escape!" Primrose exclaimed. A big boom sounded off that ricochet the ground above us and debris of dirt falls below the impact.

"Now it's our chance! Come on let's go!" I than started to lead the way and climbed the top. When I got above the surface, I see no one at present, except hearing a struggle from beneath us. I than started to pick up everybody one by one and Sandy was last.

"Bigwig!" Hazel shouted as he came out of the bushes.

"Hazel!" I shouted.

"Now this way lads!" Bigwig commanded to join Hazel. I looked back to see Comet peering over the battle. I hurried towards him and told him that we need to leave. He than saw his father in the midst of the fighting. Shadow than saw Woundwart and they engaged in combat. Shadow gained the upper hand, until Vervain tried to sneak attack him, but Shadow pounced Vervain to the ground. Vervain groveling on the ground, Shadow was about to strike the blow on him. Woundwart came out of no where and bite Shadow's neck.

"Father!" Comet screamed. He wanted to jump down there and rip Woundwart into shreds, but I held him back.

Shadow began to lose his strength and he was given a final blow from Woundwart, than Shadow succumbs his wounds while Woundwart made sure that Shadow was dead.

"There they are!" Vervain shouted from the fissure, as he spotted me and Comet. "I was right! They are making an escape and Hazel is involved with the plan."

"I know and you were right." Campion spoke.

"Kill them all! Vervain, Campion, with me! Rest of you restore order and stop this revolt!" Woundwart ordered his _Owsla_ , as he, Vervain, and Campion started climbing towards us.

"Comet, we have to go! Your father wanted you to live! We need to go now!" I pleaded Comet. He couldn't stop looking back as we left the edge to join Hazel and others waiting.

"Let's get out of here!" I shouted and everybody started to follow the path that leads to the broken bridge. We heard Woundwart orders the two rabbits guarding the bridge to attack us, but thanks to Kehaar, he distracted the rabbits long enough that we could get underneath the bridge, where Blackberry was chewing on the rope.

"They're trapped, bring them to me!" Woundwart ordered his _Owsla_ to search for us and capture when spotted. Luckily, nearly everybody was on the boat, as Hazel, Bigwig, and myself were watching if Woundwart and his men are close to our hiding spot.

"Anytime Blackberry." Hazel tried to be patient with Blackberry, as she's trying her best to cut the rope. I than thought of an idea! I pulled out my switchblade and I started to cut the rope. I did it so quickly that the rope broke into two.

"Hazel, Bigwig, come on! Hurry!" I shouted for them as I hopped on board.

Hazel and Bigwig ran, as fast as possible to get enough speed that they managed to jump on board, as Bigwig nearly misses that he landed flat on board. As soon we got ourselves situated, we heard Woundwart roaring, as he made a long jump from the bridge and caught onto the boat from it's stern, as it began to pull me down towards him. As he's face appears, I started to stomp on his paws, as he screamed in bit of pain.

"Get off my boat!" I used a Harrison Ford impersonation from _Air Force_ and kicked Woundwart overboard, leaving him to struggle swimming in the water.

I got up and dusted myself, as I joined the other's watching him.

"Well that came off rather well." Bigwig took some breaths.

"Yes, now let me help you." I pulled out my first-aid kit and started to clean Bigwig's wound and wrapped it around with bandages.

"Like falling down a hole." Hawkbit added. I than sat down on the boat and watched Hazel and Primrose talk to each other and now it is like they're complete.

"Well... I guess Hazel is more relieved of what happened, although there was a cost." I said.

"Don't pull yourself down lad, we pulled it off together! Even creating a revolt that made the rabbits think and got motivated to take action against Woundwart." Bigwig praised.

"I know, but all we know that some lives were lost. Some give little, most gave all for the cause." I said sadly.

"My father would wanted me to be free and now I'm, I have to say thank you." Comet thanked me. Sandy even gave me a hug that she's highly appreciated for obtaining her freedom.

"Now we are free." Sandy signed.

"Are we? Now it's like that I need to find my way home. One way or another." I said. Sandy than gave me a kiss and we watched the sun set, as if we're being sailed to the sun, before the night skies appear.

 _To Be Continued..._


	24. Episode 9: The Vision Part 1

The Vision Part 1

Author's Note: Before reading, I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas in this episode and for his great and wonderful support. Also, thank you everyone for reading the remake of the Watership Down series, as well for reading my other stories I wrote in the past including: Mason Smith Series and Balto stories I wrote, and of course your wonderful support. Please fill free to write a review about the remake of the series on how are you liking it so far and to hear your opinions. Thank You! And now without further a due, enjoy the latest episode and the first part of _The Vision!_

A day after our successful and also costly to Shadow's _Owsla_ giving up their lives for ours, the rabbits of Watership Down is now officially a warren, now they could thrive... well me and Sandy as humans, also Tyler from our world, but now lives in the world of Watership Down rabbits that was the only secret I know about him that I have no mean of sharing it. I now lie my head back on the peach tree watching the morning sun rise for a new day. I than saw Tyler come out of the warren, saluting the makeshift American Flag and started to sing The National Anthem. I didn't even thought about putting on Jimi Hendrix's guitar instrumental, however I had no other choice, but stand and place my hand on my heart, as Tyler sings. At the same time, I began to think about home. We than saw Primrose exiting out of the warren slightly awake to see Tyler singing.

"Good morning you two." Primrose greeted.

"Good morning." Tyler and I greeted back after Tyler was finished.

"What was that music?" Primrose asked.

"It's the _Star Spangled Banner_. The National Anthem." Tyler answered gladly.

"I have to say it's a lovely song to start off the morning." Primrose complimented.

"Thank you." Tyler smiled. Than everybody else was up starting the morning after our raid.

I continued to watch the rabbits going on about their lives as the morning goes by. Seeing Hawkbit and Pipkin playing a game called _Tail Tag_ , the rabbit's version of a game that humans play a simple game of Tag. Bigwig was inside the warren inspecting, as well training the rest of the _Owsla_ and Comet on combat and defense. Blackberry was probably digging new burrows for Primrose, Blackavar, Comet, and Sandy. However, there's a coexisting environment that we teach the rabbits some of our culture. Sandy teaches Hazel and Fiver about signing in American Sign Language and earlier in the same morning, Primrose overheard some of the songs that Tyler played from his Zune, mostly 80's. She was surprised to hear interesting songs that she never heard before in her life time or hearing songs that man create.

I was looking at my phone, going through family pictures as always to keep me thinking about home and one day that I would find my way back. I than saw Primrose now, at the edge of the down looking down towards the distance. And I wasn't exactly sure why, because she's been doing it all morning, despite of enjoying the warren. I locked up my phone and decided to ask her. I walked over to see Primrose and she was quiet, while looking at the grand view of the down.

"Nice view?" I asked.

"Yes, very." she answered.

"What's on your mind?" I asked.

"Being back at home warren, Redstone." Primrose answered.

"Never heard of it, where is it?"

"It's on the other side of the river and there mostly have stones around the warren." Primrose told me about the warren.

I was starting to think about my home also and I could relate to her that we're both homesick that we wanted to go back. "I know what you mean, I'm homesick."

She turned her head and faced me. "You are?"

"I've been here around now and I'm from the other side, without finding any luck to find my way back." I said.

Hazel, Fiver, and Sandy joined us, as Primrose told Hazel about her home warren that she hasn't stopped thinking about since she was captured and sent to _Efrafa_.

"So you're not happy? Here on the down, with us?" Hazel asked.

"Oh yes Hazel, I am. You're all wonderful and this place... it's all a rabbit could ask for." Primrose answered and showed signs of homesickness.

"But it's not home." Fiver answered.

"I'd like to visit Redstone one day." Primrose wished.

"You should. I mean there's nothing wrong that you can't visit." I told her it was acceptable. However, her case may turn that she wanted to go back and live there, rather than to visit.

"To stay?" Hazel asked.

Primrose nodded her head. "Then I'll take you home, Primrose." Hazel decided to bring her back to her home warren.

"Thank you Hazel." she thanked him.

"I guess you can't the old dirt roads behind." I stated.

"What's that?" Primrose asked.

"It's just a statement that you can't leave your real home behind and you wanted to return there one day. It's reasonable." I smiled back and explained.

Sandy than gasped and got our attention, as she saw Fiver shiver and gasping. _Redstone Warren is empty and dead. It only lives inside your head._ Fiver visioned about Primrose's warren gone.

"What's wrong with him?" Sandy signed with concern, as Primrose interpret.

"What's he talking about?" Primrose than asked Hazel.

"It's a vision." Hazel answered.

"I'm sorry Primrose." Fiver apologized. "I didn't mean to see those things."

"No, you're all mixed up! Redstone is still there, it is!" Primrose refuses to believe about Fiver's vision.

"Primrose." Hazel tries to comfort and reassure her.

"No, I won't listen! It's horrible to say things like that." she continued.

"Primrose, it's not that he didn't mean it! Your home warren may still be there." I reasoned with her in Fiver's defense.

"Redstone is still there! It has to be!" she than ran back into the warren. I sighed after the unsuccessful reasoning with her. Sandy knew that she was longing to return to her home warren.

"She misses her home. That's all." Sandy signed.

"I know. Maybe you could try to talk to her about her home being there." I tried to have Sandy assure Primrose.

"I'll try." Sandy smilingly signed back and tried to follow her in the warren.

"It's alright Fiver. It's not your fault." Hazel comforted Fiver.

"The dream of home kept her alive inside _Efrafa_. And I just stole it away." Fiver felt guilty about his vision that upset Primrose.

"It's hard to let go of a dream." Hazel said.

"I still have a dream that I keep waking in bed that I was home, but every morning I kept waking up here after a dream." I said depressingly, that had Hazel and Fiver wonder about me finding my way back.

"In all means back to the subject, we knew you didn't mean. It just..." I tried to figure out what to say. "... it just came out. She'll never know if her home is gone, unless she sees it herself."

Fiver thought it was silver-lining for Primrose's hope. "You're right, Andrew. Maybe my vision was wrong. Maybe Redstone is just fine."

"There's only one way to find out, isn't there." Hazel said.

* * *

Later in the late morning, Hazel was prepared to take Primrose back to Redstone as he waits for her to say her goodbyes to Blackavar and Sandy.

"Are you sure you wanted to do this? I'm sure that she'll be devastated if she finds her warren is gone." I reassured Hazel.

"If she'll be happy to be back at home, than yes." Hazel was sure. "There's one thing I wanted to ask for you and Tyler to do while I'm gone."

"What is it?" Tyler asked.

"I need you both to look after Fiver, until I get back, especially if his visions come back." Hazel instructed us to watch his little brother.

"Visions?" Tyler questioned.

"Fiver has visions and it's a long story." I answered. "Otherwise, we'll look after him." I looked back to Hazel and agreed.

"Absolutely. You have our word." Tyler agreed. We than saw Primrose came to Hazel and she's ready.

"I wanted to thank the both of you, for your courage to help us escape." Primrose thanked us.

"Your welcome." Tyler said.

"I wish you the best of luck." I added and offered her a hand/paw shake. She didn't quite get what I was trying to do. She even looked back at Hazel and he simply nods his head. She than let out her paw and the two of us shake, before joining Hazel.

"I'll see the things here, Hazel." Bigwig said. "You two just watch yourselves."

"Very well than, we're off." Hazel said.

"Goodbye you both and good luck." Tyler and I said.

Hazel looked back and said the same, and we watched them head towards the woods. "Stay safe." I said, as I still feel a bit worry that danger could come every path in front of them.

"Don't worry lad, I'm sure they'll be alright." Bigwig assured me.

Kehaar simply smiled. "Two sweethearts on journey of love."

"Did you really got it off from a love story?" I asked Kehaar.

"No, but Kehaar knows much about love." he answered.

I shook my head that he was full of it

"The journey is one thing, what they find the end of it is another." Fiver worries about the outcome of Hazel's and Primrose's journey.

"Come on, Fiver. I'm sure they'll be fine, if something is wrong they'll be back and Primrose would have a new. More the merrier." Tyler assured Fiver.

"Come on, let's enjoy the rest of our day, shall we?" Bigwig said, before the rest started their way back towards the tree. Fiver noticed that I was still there.

"Andrew, are you joining us?" Fiver offered, as I looked back at him.

"No, I'll be fine." I answered.

"Are you sure?" Fiver was uncertain if I was going to be fine.

I nodded and was certain. "Don't worry, I'll be back, if you need anything I'll be here."

Fiver smiled. "Thank you." He than joined everybody else back towards the tree. I than continued to look at the horizon. A shout came from a group of kids were with their parents and their older siblings having a family picnic below the down. It seemed to be the perfect day of picnic, as the weather was warm with a cool breeze and clear skies. I took my guitar from my bag and started strum the guitars, as I reminiscing about my old days to now about my family. I still have hopes that I should be back at home with my family.

 _It's perfect outside its like God let me dial up the weather_  
 _Got the whole crew here, I ain't seen some of them in forever_  
 _It's one of those never forget it, better stop and take it in kinda scenes_  
 _Everything's just right yeah except for one thing_

 _You should be here, standing with your arm around me here_  
 _Cutting up, cracking a cold beer_  
 _Saying cheers, hey y'all it's sure been a good year_  
 _It's one of those moments, that's got your name written all over it_  
 _And you know that if I had just one wish it'd_  
 _Be that you didn't have to miss this_  
 _You should be here_

 _You'd be taking way too many pictures on your phone_  
 _Showing them off to everybody that you know back home_  
 _And even some you don't yeah_  
 _They say now you're in a better place_  
 _And I would be too if I could see your face_

 _You should be here, standing with your arm around me here_  
 _Cutting up, cracking a cold beer_  
 _Saying cheers, hey y'all it's sure been a good year_  
 _It's one of those moments, that's got your name written all over it_  
 _And you know that if I had just one wish_  
 _It'd be that you didn't have to miss this_  
 _Aw you should be here_

 _You'd be loving this, you'd be freaking out, you'd be smiling, yeah_  
 _I know you'd be all about what's going on right here right now_  
 _God I wish somehow you could be here_

 _Oh you should be here_

 _Yeah this is one of those moments that's got your name written all over it_  
 _And you know that if I have just one wish it'd be that you didn't have to miss this_  
 _Aw you should be here_

 _You should be here_

After finishing the last notes on my guitar, I than watched the family leave, as a tear drop from my eye. I looked at the horizon towards the sun.

"I should be here." I said, as I wished to be back at home with my family.

* * *

Soon afterwards, I left my edge of the down to head back towards the peach tree. Where to see, Fiver, Tyler, Pipkin, Hawkbit, and Dandelion playing _Tail Tag_ , Sandy sitting down next to the tree watching them playing the game, while Bigwig napping with his head back on the tree. I joined Bigwig and Sandy sitting down by the tree watching the rest playfully.

"Looks beautiful outside." Sandy signed.

"Yes indeed." I replied back. I grabbed my phone and started to look through my family pictures.

"You have a family you're trying to go back to?" Sandy asked in her signing.

"I'm trying too." I showed her my family pictures on my phone gallery.

She smiled. "You have a wonderful family."

"Thank you. I know that you had your grandfather, do you have anybody else?" I asked.

"I was raised only by my mother in Buffalo, New York. Her and my father divorced when I was young and never heard from him again."

"I'm sorry. My parents split also, but my mother remarried. However, my family has been in the constant move: first being from Anchorage, Alaska; Sacramento, Brentwood, and Elk Grove, California. " I said.

Sandy sighed. "Divorces are never easy when it happens at a young age including moving."

"I know, it still affects me to this very day." I added. "Although, it's best to love them no matter what. It's easy to love, but understanding the indifference and opinions about each other is another. At least you don't have to go through it."

Sandy was sadden from what I told her about my childhood struggles about divorce. "If only I knew where my father went and if I seen him, I probably would ask him why."

Blackberry came out from the warren to see all of us laid back. "You do know we need fresh straw for bedding, don't you?"

"You guys have to change straws for beds?" I questioned her.

"Of course we do. Ridding all of the old, broken, even dirty straws to be replaced." Blackberry explained.

"I guess there is a reason I sleep in bed." I said, before she gave me a smirk. "Okay a sleeping bag in the matter."

"It's that we all can't abide a stale, smelling burrow." she added.

Her neat, clean tidiness personalities reminds me of my mother about me having a dirty smelling room. "You know Blackberry, you keep this up and you'll be like my mother." Sandy chuckled from the comment, as Blackberry smiled back and shook her head.

"Blackberry, you're a tyrant. We haven't stopped slogging since we got here." Bigwig complained with a laid back personality. "Wouldn't be wonderful it be nice to spend one day lying in the Sun?"

Sandy smirked. "Without getting a sunburn." I interpret and I crack up from picturing Bigwig having a sunburn.

"I guess Hazel does keep us running, doesn't he." Blackberry said.

"Well he has to, if we had started a new warren or new land." I added.

"Andrew!"

We heard and saw Pipkin, Tyler, and Fiver shouting for me. "Come join us for a game of _Tail Tag_?"

"I'm alright, you guys keep playing." I assured them.

"Come on, Andrew. It's a easy game." Pipkin tries to convince me to join.

"It's like you're playing 'Tag', it's fun." Tyler added.

I looked at Bigwig, Sandy, Blackberry. Bigwig went back to his power-nap. Blackberry smiled and persuaded me to join them. I than look back Sandy and she smiled.

I sighed, as I was already been asked to join. "Alright, just letting you guys know, I have no tail so watch it where you're tagging me." The rabbits laughed from my statement. They declared me being "it". I went after the playful rabbits, as if I was another rabbit or an animal. I than managed to tag Tyler.

"Tag, you're it." I said.

Tyler chuckled. "Andrew you have to say _eili_ not 'it'."

"Oh right, than tag you're _eili_." I than corrected myself and flee from him, as he started to chase after us. I felt like I was a kid again playing with friends. Tyler than tagged Pipkin, as he started to go after us. Sometime minutes after I was running, I had to stop to catch my breath. As I watched them continuing to play, I noticed Fiver looked at and thought something was wrong with me, as he was being chased by Pipkin. Before he could try to reach towards me, he felt like he was being stopped and accidentally tumbling himself and Pipkin.

"Not fair Fiver." Pipkin smiled, as he thought Fiver tricked him. I smiled, as I continued to catch my breath. Seconds later, I than started to hear Fiver moan and scream, as I looked up to see everybody surrounding him. I ran over to him to see that he's having a vision.

"Fiver, what's wrong? What is it?" I tried to be patient, as he was going to shock.

 _Revenge is in his heart. The killer comes back. Hate and revenge drive his attack._

"Oh great, more trouble on the way." Hawkbit complained about Fiver's vision.

"For crying out loud Hawkbit, shut up!" I shouted back at him. I than looked back at Fiver. "Fiver, are you alright?"

"What's this about a killer, Fiver?" Bigwig asked him.

Sandy thought it would be Vervain and/or Woundwart, as she fears of being brought back for the worst such as Vervain. "It's them, right? They would find us sooner or later." she signed.

"I doubt that. They wouldn't be able to find us." I doubt it and assured her. "It wouldn't be Cowslip either for the fact that his warren is unwillingly to fight at all."

"It's not either of them." Fiver shook his head.

"Than who else?" Tyler asked.

"The weasel. The weasel we fought in the Spring. He's coming for us. He's coming!" Fiver reveal his vision.

"How's that possible, if we trapped him in the deeper part of the warren. Wouldn't he ended up starving at one point and die?" I wondered.

"Not really. Weasels could be clever as foxes, but not too clever." Bigwig said.

"In that case, if he does found his way out and alive, we need to defend ourselves again." I summed up.

"Than we should start the defensive digging, only it's up to Bigwig of course." Blackberry suggested. Everybody looked at him for approval. He knew if an enemy would be back, we have to prepare ourselves for the worst.

"Right, _Owsla_ , initiate defensive digging immediately!" Bigwig than ordered us to start digging defenses. Dandelion was assigned with Blackavar and Comet to dig around the perimeters of the warren, Tyler, Sandy, and myself assigned ourselves to dig with Blackberry, Hawkbit, and Fiver. Bigwig watched us, as Hawkbit waited for a bit, before he would join us in digging.

"Something on your mind, Bigwig?" Hawkbit asked Bigwig.

"Sort of. Tyler intends to be with Andrew and Sandy in most times, even around with the rest of us." Bigwig thought of suspicion.

"Too right mate. Something is odd about Tyler without doubt. Andrew on the other hand distances himself from everybody in most occasions. Sandy also, because she kept using her hands without opening her mouth." Hawkbit agrees to their suspicions.

"She's different. She's unable to speak and she teaches us very well about this 'American Sign Language'." Bigwig said otherwise about Sandy, because he knows about her struggles in _Efrafa_.

"Although her and Andrew are from their own world without doubt, what do you think of Tyler?" Hawkbit asked.

"I don't know, we'll have to keep an eye out for the three, especially Tyler." Bigwig suggested. "Now go join with the others to dig." Hawkbit went off to join the rest to dig.

"Keehar, I need you to fly above to keep an eye out for the same weasel that came here before." Bigwig took his mind off from conspiracy and came back to his real task of defending the warren.

"Same weasel, huh? Coming back like rotten fish." Kehaar was prepared for his task. "Okay, Kehaar look for him."

"Report back if you spot him." Bigwig instructed him. Kehaar than took off from the ground and started to search for the weasel. "And Pipkin, your job is to warn everyone on the down."

"I'll tell them that the weasel's coming. And that they should leave or get far underground." Pipkin accepted his task.

"Good lad. If that weasel thinks he's gonna find a meal up here, he's in for a surprise. Off you go." He than watches Pipkin leaving down and making sure he left safely, as he continues to think about Andrew, Sandy, and importantly Tyler under his suspicion.

"I know that they're human without a doubt." he thought to himself. "However, I still can't get to my tail about Tyler, as he has his 'Zune' with him and his vest. Maybe Hawkbit and myself are right, maybe Tyler is from another world. In the mean time though, the important task right now, as the _Owsla_ Captain is to defend this world from _elil_..."

 _To Be Continued..._


	25. Episode 9: The Vision Part 2

The Vision Part 2

Back in the warren, Blackberry, Fiver, and Sandy were straightening the edge of the holes to bait the weasel. Hawkbit, Tyler, and myself were in the hole digging deep, as the three above us shower over us with dirt. I was on my headphones while working listening to Florida Georgia Line. While digging to follow the beat, I was being tapped on the shoulder. I took off my headphones to see Sandy was trying to get my attention from waving, as Tyler was tapping my shoulder.

"What are you singing?" Sandy asked, as Tyler interprets.

I guess I was working so hard and the music muffled my ears that I didn't even hear myself singing.

"I was listening to some Florida Georgia Line on my phone." I answered.

She was a bit static and thrilled. "I been to one of their concerts with my friends, they're so awesome."

"They're one of my favorite country singers and there are few others I enjoy." I added.

"Whose the one we overheard you singing by the edge of the down?" Tyler asked.

"Cole Swindell's _You Should Be Here_." I answered.

"Why were you singing that alone?" he asked.

I was a bit solemn that I started to think about my family. "I saw a family doing a panic not far from here. And I started to think about my family. Just how I miss them."

Tyler and Sandy looked at each other and understood how I felt. Even Blackberry and Fiver stopped what they were doing and listened also.

"Look I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring that it up." I apologized.

"There's nothing wrong bringing up about how you missed your family." Blackberry comforted me.

"She's right. We all knew how much you missed them." Fiver added.

"I'm sure something would come around. You'll see." Tyler agreed. Their words given me hope that I'll see my family again. However in the mean time, it's important to pull my weight around like everybody else, as they have given me so much. We than heard Hawkbit mumbled, as he started to be sprayed with dirt, as we were still working. We stopped when we heard him cough and spit from dirt was by his mouth.

"Are you alright?" Tyler asked Hawkbit.

"Fine." Hawkbit answered as he dusted himself off. "That's it, I need a breather."

"Than take a short break and come back when you're ready." I said to him, while he climbed himself out from the hole. Exhausted, he than collapsed onto the ground from digging. I than reached back on top to grab a bottle of water from my bag and gave him some water. He started to drink some of the water.

"Get back to work, you slack, bond, layabouts!" Bigwig came in and demanded us to get back to work.

"We will Bigwig. Just as soon, as Hawkbit and everybody else take a short breather of a break and we'll get back into it soon as possible." I said to Bigwig, as I told him we were having a short break and we'll be back in our feet within three minutes.

"We don't need breaks! Now get back into work or I'll put you out for weasel bait!" Bigwig shouted.

I than slammed my shovel to the ground and I wasn't afraid to stand toe to toe with him. "That's enough! Everybody is working hard as possible, even Hawkbit and he was working harder since the first day we started digging. Just show some patience and we'll be back on our feet."

"I don't care you need a break or not! You all need to get back on digging immediately!"

"There's no need for that tone, Bigwig. Hawkbit and everyone is digging as hard as we-"

"I not asking for a debate. I'm in charge and what I say goes. Now get at it." Bigwig interrupted Blackberry and he was incredibly disrespectful to her and has no respect for any of us. I knew that we need a short minute of break. I wasn't going to stand by having him slaving us without a short break.

"No."

Bigwig stopped, as everyone else gasped from what I had said. He than turned back. "What was that?"

"You heard me." I said.

"Are you speaking against a Captain of _Owsla_?!" Bigwig questioned me.

"No, but I do respect when someone needs a break, you give it to them for a short time, before getting back on their feet. We just want to rest for a moment and not cause any trouble." I explained.

"Are you trying to brainwash everyone of your human ways about taking breaks from work?! I should have know better that whoever raised you wanted you to slack off, rather than work." Bigwig insulted.

My temper boiled over very quickly from him insulting my parents with no reason. I went after him, but being held off by Fiver and Tyler. I manged to free myself quickly and grabbed Bigwig from his chest and pushed him to the wall. As my fist was ready to strike at him, my left hand moved up to his throat as I was about to choke him.

"I have a mother, whose' African-American having a Master's Degree on nursing! A father, whose Caucasian working Sears for sixteen to seventeen years, and a step-father, whose African-American and married to my mother, currently serving as Captain in the United States Coast Guard off at Guantanamo Bay!" I shouted at Bigwig, as it was the first time he was nearly scared, but not frightened however surprised. Sandy and Blackberry were shocked to see my other side, if I was crossed; Fiver and Tyler were stunned, and Hawkbit was aghast.

"If you ever... ever disrespect my family, my upbringings, anything to piss me off. I'll murder. I'll murder you and send you to The _Black Rabbit_ and instead of seeing _Frith's Meadow_ , you'll being rotting in Hell!" I threatened Bigwig that I was capable to show him that his nightmare would be reality if he made another remark.

He than gave me a serious look and refused to fight back. "I guess a short break would do." Bigwig complied to our request and taken my statement seriously.

"Yeah." I said with a sigh. Fiver came over, than he reached for my right hand to lower it down and I slowly let go of Bigwig. He than reached his paw to his chest to feel the grip that I had my hand around his throat, that he would have suffocated. Alarmed, Bigwig than slowly hopped away to check on the rest of the _Owsla_ 's progress.

As soon Bigwig was gone. everyone was complete silence that none of us said a word, until Hawkbit slouched on the edge of the dug up hole. "Well, as sooner Hazel's back, the happier I'll be."

I was too angry to look at anyone, not after what Bigwig had said.

"Is it true?" Tyler asked.

"What is?" I asked and had no patience with anybody.

"You have mixed parents."

"I do. My mother married to a Caucasian man than have my older brother and me in the following year after his birth. They than argue, split up, differences, and co-parenting. Later my mother remarried to an African-American with him an older sister, until years later came in young twin sisters." I added.

"You have younger siblings?" Fiver was surprised.

I nodded. "In which later, when I started in college, I have an adopted and youngest sister."

"Seems to me you have a great and wonderful families that I could have wish." Tyler said.

I than became quiet to enjoy a short break, as everyone else is. Hawkbit turned his head towards me and Fiver. "You and your blighted visions. I bet if you didn't have them, we wouldn't have all this trouble!"

"Take it easy, Hawkbit! It's not his fault!" Tyler tries to defend Fiver. Hawkbit than gave him an furious look that Tyler than lowered his head and looked away.

"And you with your 'man' cultures, languages, and your ways! You are worst than Fiver's visions, on how you try to multi-culture mix with ours and yours!" Hawkbit than ranted all over me and I was weak to respond after my response went full on Bigwig.

"That's enough, Hawkbit!" Blackberry shouted.

"You two are a curse in this warren, Fiver! Including you Andrew! That's what the both of you are!" Hawkbit ranted, before he left the five us in the warren.

A tear slightly fell from my eye, but it wasn't compared of being hurt than Fiver, as he was the scapegoat from his visions.

"I'm going to go somewhere to eat and I'll be back." Fiver sadly said.

"We'll come along to keep you company." Tyler offered.

"It's alright and I'll manage, thank you." Fiver said before he left.

"I need some air." I added, as I'm too upset to stay underground or I could suffocate while exploding my anger. I left the three of them on their own, while I exited out of the warren and walked behind the tree to remain unseen. I screamed and picked up a stick and threw it far away that landed at the edge of the down. I pulled out my phone and headphones, to choose a song that it's hard for someone could stand up for somebody.

 _I don't know if you were looking at me or not_  
 _You probably smile like that all the time_  
 _And I don't mean to bother you but_  
 _I couldn't just walk by_  
 _And not say hi_

 _And I know your name_  
 _'Cause everybody in here knows your name_  
 _And you're not looking for anything right now_  
 _So I don't wanna come on strong_  
 _But don't get me wrong_  
 _Your eyes are so intimidating_  
 _My heart is pounding but_  
 _It's just a conversation_  
 _No girl I'm not gonna waste it_  
 _You don't know me_  
 _I don't know you but I want to_

 _And I don't wanna steal your freedom_  
 _I don't wanna change your mind_  
 _I don't have to make you love me_  
 _I just want to take your time_

 _I don't wanna wreck your Friday_  
 _I ain't gonna waste my lines_  
 _I don't have to take your heart_  
 _I just wanna take your time_

 _And I know it starts with hello_  
 _And the next thing you know you're trying to be nice_  
 _And some guys getting too close_  
 _Trying to pick you up_  
 _Trying to get you drunk_

 _And I'm sure one of your friends is about to come over here_  
 _'Cause she's supposed to save you from random guys_  
 _That talk too much and wanna stay too long_  
 _It's the same old song and dance but I think you know it well_

 _You could have rolled your eyes_  
 _Told me to go to hell_  
 _Could have walked away_  
 _But you're still here_  
 _And I'm still here_  
 _Come on let's see where it goes_

 _I don't wanna steal your freedom_  
 _I don't wanna change your mind_  
 _I don't have to make you love me_  
 _I just wanna take your time_

 _I don't have to meet your mother_  
 _We don't have to cross that line_  
 _I don't wanna steal your covers_  
 _I just wanna take your time_

 _Woah, I don't wanna go home with you_  
 _Woah, I just wanna be alone with you_

 _I don't wanna steal your freedom_  
 _I don't wanna change your mind_  
 _I don't have to make you love me_  
 _I just wanna take your time_

 _And I don't wanna blow your phone up_  
 _I just wanna blow your mind_  
 _I don't have to take your heart_  
 _I just wanna take your time_

 _No, I ain't gotta call you baby_  
 _And I ain't gotta call you mine_  
 _I don't have to take your heart_  
 _I just wanna take your time, ooh_

* * *

After of furies, screams and depressed rage, I fall out and I was being awoken by Tyler and he was worried and concerned.

"Have you seen Fiver, yet?" Tyler asked.

"He should be back." I assumed that he went off to eat some grass and probably returned by now.

"No he hasn't returned yet." Tyler told me.

I than decided to let go from my anger and remembered our responsibility to look after Fiver, while Hazel was gone. I started to panic from knowing now that Fiver is missing and if was my younger sisters, my mother and stepfather would have been furious for not looking after them. "Oh no, no, no, no. What are we going to do? I'll be personally responsible for him running away and I don't even know what to do if Hazel discovered about this!"

"Andrew, calm down." Tyler tries to calm me down. I took some breaths and I was back to normal. "We'll go look for Fiver and when we find him, we'll wait or try to bring him back."

I nodded. "Okay."

I went back to my warren to grab my pack than we headed out to start our search for Fiver. We looked around the peach tree, the brook by the warren, even going downhill and checked the entrance of the woods. We had no luck of finding him. Finally, we started to search in the open fields around the down, until we spotted a rabbit hiding in a small hole of boulders. When we got close... it was Fiver and he was overcome with guilt and sadness.

"Fiver, thank _Frith_ you're alright." Tyler was relieved that we found him. "You really had us worried, why are you hiding here?"

"Because it's my fault." Fiver said, while removing a tear.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"The weasel coming, you threatening Bigwig, and the visions I have." Fiver felt guilty.

"The weasel wasn't your fault. Between me and Bigwig on the other hand, I was insulted from what he had to say. It was his blame that we started an argument, not you." I explained. "And I was angry and I couldn't control. I would say it's partially my fault for not having the control of myself."

"You shouldn't have to be guilty or being blamed for anything." Tyler added.

"Hawkbit is right though." Fiver said.

"What is he right about?" I asked.

Fiver sighed. "My visions! What if I'm not seeing the future?! What if my visions make things happen?!"

Tyler and I looked at each other, while I thought it was slightly absurd that Fiver would think that. And again since the both of us knew that we were unsuccessful defending Fiver.

"Look Fiver, we're sorry if we didn't defend and we know what Hawkbit said was out of line. It doesn't mean you have to believe every word he says or take it literally." Tyler tried to comfort him.

"Don't forget, your visions helped us in numerous occasions." I added.

"I don't think so. What if I caused Sandleford Warren's destruction, Hazel nearly died from being shot, and Bigwig caught in a shining wire." Fiver disagreed.

"And a vision about me murdering a rabbit." I recalled Hazel telling me about Fiver's vision that I would be encountered by the _Efrafa_ patrol and murdered one of the rabbits.

Fiver became surprised that I brought up with another vision that he didn't even remember telling me about. "I don't remember you there when I had it."

"No and you were right. I was with Bigwig and the _Owsla_ when that happened. Hazel told me about it and you were right. Pipkin would have been sent away by _Efrafa_ patrol, if I didn't intervene. This explains that you do see the future, maybe not always good, but at least we know what's meant to happen and we're prepared for it."

Fiver nodded and agreed. "I suppose you're right. However, I still feel I'm the cause of all this."

"How about this, if you don't feel comfortable going back until Hazel returns, we'll wait with you." I decided.

"No, you have to go back. The weasel would get you both also." Fiver worried.

"Not likely if we're around. If gets too dangerous and/or you're ready to go back, but keep yourself private from everybody else until Hazel comes back and be the first one to talk to, we'll respect that." Tyler decided.

Fiver than lightly smiled. "Thank you both. You two are the greatest friends I could have."

"Except Hazel." I corrected. "He's your brother and you two been together for a long time."

"Quite right." Fiver said. We than sat outside of the boulders and took a short nap.

* * *

Hours later, as the sun began to set for the day is ending. The three of us woke up to see Bigwig was standing close to us and Fiver retreated deep into the boulders gap.

"What's the game you three? It is getting dark and the weasel is on his way." Bigwig said.

Fiver remained silent.

"Why don't you tell that to Hawkbit?!" I exclaimed.

"How's that than?" Bigwig questioned me.

"You heard me clear. Hawkbit had exchanged with some nasty words on me, mostly Fiver!" I stated.

Bigwig chuckled. "Well there's a first."

"You think this is funny?!"

"Don't be ridiculous. Why don't you three come out of there." Bigwig tried to convince us to come back.

"After you insulted my family, letting Hawkbit put Fiver down and you wanted us to come back? Are you insane?! Not after we're treated! We'll only answer to Hazel when he returns."

"Bigwig! I see weasel! He's close and plenty mean, yea!" Kehaar flew above us to warn Bigwig.

Bigwig sighed. "Look I'm sorry how I was with you Andrew and insulting your parents, but we need to head back to the warren. We don't have much time."

I shook my head. "I forgive. However, we're not leaving unless Hazel comes back or something turns around."

Kehaar lands next to Bigwig. "Stay with them Kehaar. I'll be back when I can." Bigwig headed back to the warren to be prepared to defend the warren from the weasel.

"Kehaar you should head back too. We'll be fine." I assured him.

"I not leave you three." Kehaar told us.

"Well... can you actually let us be alone, rather than you leaving though?" I asked.

"You three alone. I'll be around nearby." Kehaar took off to fly around our perimeters.

"He's gone Fiver. You could come out." Tyler told Fiver.

Fiver came out of the boulder gap. "I know you wanted to be left alone, so we told you're good."

"Except about my visions." Fiver stated.

"Don't worry about them. As soon Hazel comes back, you'll be right as rain." Tyler said. "Right Andrew?"

I remained quiet and solemn.

"Andrew?"

I looked back to see Tyler and Fiver a bit concerned. "Are you alright?" Tyler asked.

"It's nothing." I assured them.

Fiver came and tapped me on the shoulder. "Andrew, what's bothering you? I know about you and Hawkbit, but..."

"But what?" I asked him.

"I don't know. You were there in part of us, than you go off." Fiver answered. "Please tell me. You know about my visions, but I wanted to know about you and why you act..."

"Odd." I finished.

"Oh no, but as if you were a rabbit that wanders alone without anyone." Fiver explained.

"That's okay Fiver. Throughout my life, I been alone without having much friends except from work and school that I have acquaintances. Although I have family, but I still feel empty without having a true friends to be around and take part." I said.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"For starters, I'm not just a plan human that knows every detail and take part of social dynamics." I continued, while Fiver and Tyler listened. "When I was a baby and grew to be three or four, I was being diagnosed with High Functioning Autism."

Fiver didn't know what to say as he never heard of it, but Tyler opened his mouthing quietly without making a sound.

"I grew up having difficulties of learning, communications, and creating certain relationships. Since after the diagnosis, my mother did everything she could to help me learn to speak and know the basics in life, even going on to my pre-teens with her and my stepfather's help, including my father's, in all three in part of how to communicate to others and create relationships. No matter how I try, I still feel a void of emptiness inside me."

"You have to be smart though?" Tyler asked.

"I am. Mostly in history. I always endure history." I answered.

Fiver had listened long enough that he started to think about his visions and how he doesn't have much friends while growing up, except his brother, who was the whole world around him. "Do you have anybody you know very deeply?"

"If it regards of bondage was my father. Although we may have same and different opinions and approaches, it doesn't mean that we're not separable. Even the rest of my family until the adult I'm now, I still care about my family very much." I added.

Fiver smiled and gave me a hug that I could picture myself given a hug by on of my three younger sisters. "They'll still be with you. Although, you're far, but you're close in here." he than placed his paw towards my heart and I felt emotional.

"You're right." I nodded and I started to tear. "If only I could see their faces to say that I was alright and they won't have to worry."

"I'm sure you'll be able to find your way back somehow. It probably won't be today, tomorrow, but somewhere in the future that you'll be there." Tyler said.

I wiped the tears from my eyes. "Thanks guys. And Fiver?"

"Yes."

"I could say he's like the second older brother and a third older sibling I have. You... you'll be the youngest brother, including Tyler. Only if you were all part of my family." I said.

"It doesn't mean we can't be." Tyler added.

"Tyler's right! You could be a part of our family now, until you're safe with your family again." Fiver offered me to join his kin.

"I'll be happy and to be around with caring rabbits to think they're my other family." I said.

"You mean you have more than one family?" Tyler asked.

"To base on relatives, it's three." I said.

Tyler and Fiver were amazed. "Three?!"

I shook my head.

"A big family indeed." Tyler said. I repeated back as the sun fades and the moon started to rise as the night drew in. We than kicked back to watch the stars and forgot about the troubles from earlier today, except having to explain about it sometime later, when Hazel comes back. Now I know that I won't be alone and I prefer not to be alone ever without having friends that I could picture from movies, storybooks, and video games. However, they would only be from there, because I still feel it's my imagination.

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas for this episode.


	26. Episode 9: The Vision Part 3

The Vision Part 3

Later in the night, we were star gazing as the night was clear and the moon was quarter-half way bright. Since the warren finally had an _Owsla_ , everyone one of us never got the time to have a night to stare at the starry night to love the night, as we enjoyed the peaceful, quiet of the day. Fiver, Tyler, and myself continued to watch the stars, as we exchanged the different cultures and beliefs.

"Not a constellation tonight." I said.

"What's a constellation?" Fiver asked.

"A group of stars forming different patterns like the 'Big Dipper' or the 'Ursa Major'." Tyler explained.

"'Big Dipper'?" Fiver questioned.

"It's a group of stars that form a big spoon." I clarified.

Fiver looked up at the sky and noticed a group stars. "Something like these stars." He raised his paw to follow the pattern and that it formed a swan like figure.

"What a nice find for your sore eyes, Fiver! That's the Cygnus. It is mostly referred to as a swan." Tyler praised on Fiver's find.

I smiled at them both, before looking back up in the starry skies. "Fiver, what do you think about beyond this Earth?"

"I beg your pardon?" Fiver asked.

"There's a saying that 'Astronomy compels the soul to look upwards and leads us from this world to another.'." I quoted.

"By Plato. I think so, in the afterlife." Tyler added. Fiver wasn't sure who Plato was but he listened in.

"Hazel taught me, like other rabbits being taught, that _Frith_ creates other worlds which that are stars. Rabbits would later die and go to _Frith's Meadow_ , however some of the great, smartest, and tricking rabbits would be able to join _El-ahrairah's Owsla_." Fiver told us.

"It's a nice way to put it." I said.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"About the afterlife." Tyler asked.

"As a Christian, I believe you'll be enter into heaven through believing Jesus Christ and for what he has done for us." I said.

"What did he do?" Fiver asked.

"He came to Earth in flesh, taught us how to believe God and love our neighbors, died on the cross for our sins, and resurrected three days later, before ascending to Heaven." I answered.

Tyler and Fiver nodded in a intriguing put in compliment. "You also believe that God created the Earth, the stars, and planets?" Tyler asked.

"I do." I said with a nod.

Fiver gasped in fear. He than started to crawl back into between the gaps.

"What's wrong Fiver?" I asked him.

"Yaaa! Mean weasel close!" Kehaar alarmed us.

"Get Bigwig and the _Owsla_ and hurry!" Tyler instructed Kehaar, as we tried to shield Fiver at the same time were trying to fit in between the boulders. We than spotted the weasel just outside and sniffing.

"Long ears... nearby... and 'man'." the weasel spoke. He than turned towards the boulders and smelled for scent, than he released his evil smirk as he found us. He tried to put his paw through the gap, however it didn't even reached towards us. Fiver stomped in defense to ward the weasel away, but it was unsuccessful.

"Come out. Little long ears. No more waiting." the weasel smirked. "I hungry tonight." As it smelled again.

"Don't you have anything else to eat besides us?! Go eat some fruit and protein!" I shouted at the weasel.

"I'm sure they don't reline on fish entirely. They consider eating small meat like us." Tyler said.

The weasel managed to get half way in nearly clawing me and Tyler. I pulled out my switchblade and managed to give it a little slash on the paw. Despite it's pain, it still won't give up to eat us for dinner. We started to scoot back, until we have no longer have any room, as the boulders were small that the space becomes clamped.

"Won't feel a thing, long ears." the weasel smirked. Tyler about have it to being picked on for meal time. He than grabbed his Zune than searched for a tune. He than played it and tackled at the weasel, surprising me and Fiver.

 _I don't wanna know 下手な真実なら_  
 _I don't wanna know 知らないくらいがいいのに_  
 _Why? Why? Why? Why? 気づけば I came too far_  
 _止まらいない感じるこの予感は_  
 _The new beginning_  
 _未知の領域 今を切り拓くんだ_  
 _I gotta believe!_  
 _(Turn it on!) 相当_  
 _EXCITE! EXCITE! 高鳴る_  
 _EXCITE! EXCITE! 心が_  
 _導くあの場所へ 駆け抜けて行くだけ_  
 _(Hey!) I'm on a mission right now_  
 _(Hey!) I'm on a mission right now_  
 _EXCITE! EXCITE! 答えは_  
 _(One!) この手の中_  
 _(Two!) 進むべき life_  
 _(Three!) 生きていくだけ_  
 _Do you wanna know 夢見る程に_  
 _Do you wanna know 傷か増えてくのは_  
 _Why? Why? Why? Why? 気づけば no one's around_  
 _神が与えしたった 一つの trial_  
 _Hey, what's the purpose?_  
 _ついてきな 鮮やかに超えてよ_  
 _I gotta believe!_  
 _I gotta believe... I gotta believe... I gotta believe!_  
 _(Turn it on!) 相当_  
 _EXCITE! EXCITE! 高鳴る_  
 _EXCITE! EXCITE! 心が_

As he was defending us against the weasel, I listened in to the song and recognized it as _Super Sentai and Kamen Rider_ , as Tyler told me about the song.

"It's _Excite_ by Daichi Miura!" I finally remembered the song, as I was trying to remember the song's title and artist.

 _(One!) この手の中_  
 _(Two!) 進むべき life_  
 _(Three!) 生きていくだけ_  
 _Do you wanna know 夢見る程に_  
 _Do you wanna know 傷か増えてくのは_  
 _Why? Why? Why? Why? 気づけば no one's around_  
 _神が与えしたった 一つの trial_  
 _Hey, what's the purpose?_  
 _ついてきな 鮮やかに超えてよ_  
 _I gotta believe!_  
 _I gotta believe... I gotta believe... I gotta believe!_  
 _(Turn it on!) 相当_  
 _EXCITE! EXCITE! 高鳴る_  
 _EXCITE! EXCITE! 心が_  
 _導くあの場所へ 駆け抜けて行くだけ_

 _(Hey!) I'm on a mission right now_  
 _(Hey!) I'm on a mission right now_  
 _EXCITE! EXCITE! 答えは_  
 _(One!) この手の中_  
 _(Two!) 終わりなきドリーム_  
 _(Three!) 楽しむだけ_  
 _ゼロから一 一から宇宙の果てまで_  
 _照らした 光はここにある_

 _Yeah no one can stop me! No one can stop me now!_  
 _相当_  
 _EXCITE! EXCITE! 高鳴る_  
 _EXCITE! EXCITE! 心が_

He was gaining the upper hand... or the upper paw what I meant to say, and he seemed to use some martial art attacks and poses, until the weasel threw him off guard and swiped him towards the boulder, but Tyler was unharmed.

"Better luck next time long ears." the weasel smirked.

"And neither will you when we get done!" We heard Bigwig's voice from above. The weasel moved back and than being tackled upon by Bigwig and his _Owsla_. We watched the scene, as the rabbits ganged up on the weasel aggressively. The weasel did managed it's clever defense, but was overpowered by Bigwig and Tyler, as he regained his strength. And also the music was playing, but the rabbits were inwardly focused on fighting the weasel. As the weasel than had enough of being scratched and bitten. He retreated back towards the woods.

"And stay away for now on, my ol' son!" Bigwig shouted.

I got out of the boulder, as Fiver kept himself hidden from everybody else. As I had Tyler's Zune and I gave it back to him.

"That was amazing! The courage you had to fight off the weasel!" I praised Tyler. "Where did you learn that?"

"I'm sure you do recall _Kamen Rider Ex-Aid_." he said.

"I do. But more of _Power Rangers_ to put it that way." I said.

"That's where I got my fighting skills." he smiled.

"Thanks to you, Bigwig, and the rest of you, the weasel won't be our problem anymore." I said, as I looked at everybody and I spotted a rabbit that I haven't met.

"Do I know you?" I asked the dark teal rabbit.

"I believe you do." she spoke.

"I'm not sure. I met with everybody else and I haven't recalled you." I said. Bigwig and the _Owsla_ remained silent. "What's your name?"

"It's me Andrew. Sandy." she spoke and came close to me. I examined her face and than I recognized her beautiful hazel green eyes. She nervously smiled.

"Sandy? You... You're a rabbit?" I was shocked.

She looked sadly. "Not during the day!"

"I haven't know about that, but how did that happened?" I asked calmly.

She sighed. "You remembered the scars I have?"

"Yes."

"Soon after I was punished from Vervain, I fainted and all I remember was that I was being touched by the neck from a black rabbit and next thing I was being brought back to _Efrafa_." she said.

"The _Black Rabbit of Inle'_?" Tyler was curious.

"Yes, I was healed from my wounds, but there is a curse that I have to face. During the day, I become my true human-self with no voice. Because of this horrible, ugly beast!" Sandy explained than curses Vervain.

Fiver than came out and listened with the rest of us, while were inwardly focused about Sandy's tale.

"As soon the sunsets and the moon rises, I been turned into a rabbit when night approaches. The only time I could speak, but I hardly would not to anyone." She began to shed a tear.

"Oh Sandy, you have us to talk to." Fiver tried to comfort her.

She shook her head. "There's many things that not everyone could understand, things I can't share." she started to cry.

I knew already how it was like to be bullied and being put down. "I'm sorry what you are going through, but maybe I could help."

"How?" she asked. I cleaned her tears from her face.

"Do you remember what it said, before you woke up?" I asked.

"The only way to break the spell is to find true love." she recalled.

"Is there anyone back where you live that you fall in love or you liked?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No. I never had known anyone that I liked, even while I was growing up."

I started to remember that I told Fiver that the good dreams and visions would come true. I thought it would connect to Sandy's struggles. "I know you'll find someone one day." I said to her, giving her hope as she looked back at me and smiled.

Bigwig looked around, as the night is still young and _elil_ could come around the night. "We need to head back to warren, before another weasel, badger, or anyone could spot us."

All of us than looked at me and Fiver, I knew the fight and the anger between us still have us begrudging one another. Until I stepped forward.

"You know... I was so angry with you Bigwig and Hawkbit on how you treated me and the rest of us earlier today. You guys don't understand how someone's emotions could tick. Not saying about you guys, but me. However, in the end, I do have to say thank you also for saving mine, Fiver's, and Tyler's. Although he fights harder than you guys though." I said.

"Look lad, I know you and Fiver didn't deserve what we said back at the warren." Bigwig said.

"You didn't Bigwig, only Hawkbit said it to me." Fiver tried to clarify it wasn't entirely his fault. "You were wanting to protect everyone and the warren."

"I know that Fiver. It's a just in general on how I acted and I was too concerned." Bigwig added.

"At the same time, you were. However, after the concern attitude fades, it doesn't change the fact on how you acted and how you say it." I said.

"You're right too, lad. That's why I'll say I'm sorry on how I acted and what I said about your parents and I was out of line." Bigwig apologized.

After I listened to his apology, he was sincere than earlier at sundown. "I forgive you, Bigwig and thank you."

Bigwig smiled until it fades. "There's someone else who needs to apologize also."

Everyone stared at Hawkbit. He pretended he had no idea what he has done. Bigwig socked him with his paw.

"I'm sorry Fiver for what I said about your visions and how you were a curse." Hawkbit apologized to Fiver, before turning to me. "And I'm sorry Andrew, on how I was rude to you and what I said."

"Abrasive. You were more abrasive than rude." I corrected him.

"In that case, I'm sorry on how I was abrasive to you on your cultures and your personalities."

"I forgive you Hawkbit." I forgive him.

"I do to, however I still feel it's my fault, either way." Fiver forgives Hawkbit, but still feels that he's to be blamed.

"About what?" I asked.

"Although the weasel's gone, but Redstone warren being gone." he added.

"We'll never know, until Hazel comes back. How about we get some sleep, just outside the warren and we could watch more stars." Tyler suggested.

Fiver nodded. "We should just head back and worry about this trouble tomorrow."

Everyone started to head their way back, except me and Sandy.

"Are you going to be alright?" I asked.

"I'll be fine, but you didn't make any judgement of what I'm." she was curious.

"Although your true self is human, but you do look beautiful as a woman and a rabbit." I said.

"You really mean it?"

"Of course... because I love you." I gave her the slip and realized it was too soon to say it to her. However, she just smiled. "Did I say that too soon?"

She giggled. "Not at all. Let's join the others."

We than caught up with everybody else and we decided to sleep out tonight near the warren's entrance to watch the stars shine bright. I was lying next to Sandy and I started to fall asleep. However, I couldn't be so sure, but I thought I heard her singing that made me fall asleep, as it was a lullaby.

 _Some call it faith, some call it love_

 _Some call it guidance from above_

 _You are the reason we found ours_

 _So thank you stars_

 _Some people think it's far away_

 _Some know it's with them every day_

 _You are the reason we found ours_

 _So thank you stars_

 _There are no winds that can blow it away on the edge_

 _When they try to blow it away_

 _Is when you know it will always be there_

 _To some it's the strenght to be apart_

 _To some it's a feeling in the heart_

 _And when you're out there on your own_

 _It's the way back home_

* * *

I was the first to wake up early in the next morning. The sun was rising and the skies had it's oil color painting that brightened the sun, skies, and clouds. I looked around to see everyone else was asleep on the grass. I than turned to see my sleeping partner and noticed she's human again. Although her personality never changed, the kind the person she is, I started to think that there was something much more than being stuck here in a bad situation, while finding my way home. However, she's also trying to find her way home, without having to deal with her curse. Either way, I was determined to find a way that her curse would be lift and she'll be home again.

However, when I looked over by the warren's entrance, I saw Hawkbit was up maybe earlier before me. When I walked over there, he was trying to fix the warren's entrance so no _elil_ could be able to fit in there again.

"You dig up a pit, than go back to civilian again." Hawkbit said to himself.

"Good morning Hawkbit." I greeted.

He lightly gasped and saw it was only me. "Oh, morning Andrew."

"You sleep alright?" I asked.

"Very nice thank you. Now the weasel is out of the way, we could go back to normal." he said.

"That's good." I said and I looked back to see Sandy still asleep with a smile.

"What do you see in her?" Hawkbit asked.

"I don't know, if only I know her more." I said. "I feel like I'm in love, but I just don't want to rush it or I'm not ready."

Hawkbit looked at the distance to see Hazel, Primrose, and another rabbit. "Well there's someone you could ask." he said to me.

I waved at them. "Good morning. It's good to see you Hazel... and Primrose."

"We missed you and I mean that sincerely." Hawkbit added.

"Do you really mean it?" I questioned him.

He looked at me and I chuckled. "I'm joking." I confessed.

"What's been going on?" Hazel asked us and saw that everyone else is asleep outside of the warren.

Hawkbit and I looked at each other, determining who is going to answer the question. Hawkbit decided that he'll do the talking.

"Bit of bubble with the weasel, but we sorted him out." Hawkbit said and I smiled. "However, Fiver's in a bad state and it's mine fault."

"We already forgive you Hawkbit, we know you didn't mean it. You just burst out of angry." I assured him. "We talked and he seems slightly better, but he still isn't over about Redstone though."

Primrose looked a bit down, after I mentioned about Redstone. The elderly rabbit comforted her.

"Oh... I'm sorry. Did I say something terrible?" I apologized.

"It's alright, Andrew." Primrose said.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Redstone is gone since seasons ago, not by another warren." Hazel answered.

"A plauge." I guessed.

"Yes, my dear boy leaving me behind." the elderly dark gray rabbit, slightly different than Hawkibt's, spoke.

"Andrew and Hawkbit, this is Captain Broom. He's an old friend of mine and he'll be staying with us."" Primrose introduce me.

"It's very nice to meet you Captain Broom." I offered a hand/paw shake.

"A very nice spot you have here, quite nice." he looked around. "Not Redstone, mind you but what is ah." He chuckled as he reminds me of my grandpas from three different sides of my family.

As I offered him a hand/paw shake, he than tapped me on my chest with his paw. Felt a little uncomfortable, but he seemed as if he was confused or something about his age.

"Yes, quite solid. Good, most satisfactory." he spoke. "Well, let's have a look shall we?" he than entered the warren.

I than looked back at Primrose. "Is he okay?" I asked her because I was worried about Captain Broom.

"He's alright. He's been alone for a long time and we had to take him in with us." Primrose explained.

I felt a bit sadden that he was alone since the plague came to their warren took everyone, except him.

"Where's Fiver?" Hazel than asked.

"He's with Tyler and Pipkin. Sleeping." I had him followed me and showed him where Fiver is.

Hazel saw Fiver was sleeping peacefully and moving his leg, as he was in a dream. He than nuzzled Fiver and Fiver woke up.

"Hazel! Welcome back." Fiver jumped up on his older brother with a big hug.

"It's nice to see you too, Fiver." Hazel smiled, until he saw Fiver's smile faded.

Everyone else started to wake up and yawn from their sleep, as they noticed Hazel's back.

"Morning all." Hazel greeted everyone.

"Good morning Hazel." Tyler and Bigwig greeted back.

"Andrew and Hawkbit told me what happened about yesterday." Hazel told Fiver about Hawkbit had said to him.

"Oh... my visions causes to happen." Fiver said. "Like Redstone."

"Here now, Fiver. Your visions don't causes things to happen. You're seeing the future." Hazel comforted Fiver.

"And 'the future would be a better tomorrow.'" I quoted.

"You can't know that. Hawkbit may, in fact, be right." Fiver said a bit down.

"Some of us blame the messenger, when they don't like the message. That's all what he meant." Hazel said.

"I don't think so."

"Come on, Fiver. We can't always guarantee about the times you could be wrong. You may be right." Tyler added.

"How about this? Just the other morning, you had a vision about Redstone Warren." Hazel recalled Fiver's vision yesterday.

"I saw that you've find it abandoned and everyone gone." Fiver said.

"And you're right. However, they left seasons ago, Fiver. Your visions didn't cause anything." Hazel stated.

"Meaning that you predicated about Redstone being gone." Tyler said.

Fiver became surprised and wanting to know more. "It happened seasons ago?"

"And we brought someone back, who could tell you about it." Hazel smiled.

"So my visions don't cause things." Fiver said happily. "I am seeing the truth."

"Exactly." Tyler and I agreed.

"That's what I have been saying of the night." Bigwig tried to convey it to Fiver since yesterday, as everyone nodded.

"But not the way Hazel said it." Fiver stated.

"You can't always be someone, who you're not." I added.

"No... of course not." Bigwig realized disappointingly.

"Well I have to say the past is moved on and we could move what's ahead." Tyler said.

"However, let's hear all about the weasel and I've got stories to tell about our journey to Redstone." Hazel is thrilled to hear about our weasel encounter; and telling us about Primrose and his journey.

"There's a lot to tell about it when we get inside I'm sure." I said.

"Such as?" Bigwig asked.

Hazel became calmed and was ready to announce the biggest moment he would have in his life. "Well for one thing... I'm going to be a father."

"Oh, I could have told you that." Fiver smiled.

Everyone was amazed and thrilled that him and Primrose will settle down and have children of their own, as they congratulated them while heading back to the warren to hear stories and tell him about ours.

* * *

Later in the evening, everyone settled down for bed. I decided to call the night at my burrow, as I noticed Hazel and Primrose nuzzling. Feeling like I was an intruder of their privacy, I cleared my throat and knocked on the caved walls. They stopped and noticed I was there.

"Oh Andrew. You surprised there." Hazel said.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I couldn't help, but to say think you for what you two shared." I thanked.

"No need." Hazel assured.

I started to feel a little sadden. "Primrose, I'm really sorry about what you had to find."

"Don't worry about it. I'm trying to move on and being with Hazel would help me get me through it." Primrose said.

"I just only wish for my family would still be there when I return." I started to worry.

Hazel knew that I still miss my family. "Tell me about your family?"

I came over and sat down next to him. "I have a mother, once married to my father. Than divorced and my mother remarried."

"What's a divorce?" Primrose asked.

"A divorce is the end of marriage because one or both of the couple are not happy. My mother and father are part of the loophole. I still feel like it'll never go away, even I'm still twenty-two." I said.

"I'm sorry, Andrew." Primrose apologized.

I smiled at them.

"Do you have any brothers and sisters?" Hazel asked.

"From my mother and father, I have an older brother, named Taylor. However, when my mom remarried: my older step-sister named Tika, than later having twins Amy and Allison, and finally the youngest and adopted sister named Olivia. She was the only sister that draws close to me, because I have been looking after her since I started in college." I answered.

"You have a beautiful family." Hazel complimented.

"Thank you."

"What's your mother's name?" Primrose asked.

"Yvonne."

They smiled. "You'll see them again, even Olivia." Hazel assured me, with his paw around me like he was my next older brother that I could have.

After I yawn, I knew that I was becoming tired and they chuckled. "Well I guess I should leave you two love birds a goodnight." I said.

"Don't push it." Hazel said it gently, but stern.

"I know. Goodnight you two. And it's really wonderful you have you two back." I said, before I gave them a hugs, as I was part of their family and I even gave them a kiss. After I gave them a goodnight hug and kiss, they looked at me very unusual.

"Sorry. I miss kissing and giving my parents hugs, before to bed." I said.

"It's alright. We're here for you, if you need anything." Hazel assured me that if I needed help and I could rely on their help.

"Thank you... and goodnight." I said.

"Goodnght Andrew." Hazel said.

"Sleep tight." Primrose said.

I left their burrow and hurried back to my burrow to give them privacy and space. I decided to call the night and put on a movie on my DVD player that I was very lucky that it came with me and started to watch _The Shape of Water_ , before I closed my eyes and went to bed.

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas for this episode.


	27. Episode 10: A Tale of a Mouse Part 1

A Tale of a Mouse Part 1

 _Like the view from a hill_  
 _I can see you and me_  
 _Like the view from a hill_  
 _It's so easy to see_

 _Here's where we belong_  
 _I feel it so strong_  
 _I see it so clear_  
 _As I always will_  
 _Like the view from a hill_

 _Like a bird in the sky_  
 _I can see us below_  
 _As it all passes by_  
 _I believe that I know_

 _This feeling of love_  
 _Seen from above_  
 _Goes on and on_  
 _And it always will_

 _Like the view from a hill_

 _One day we may want to know_

 _Where did our short lives go_

 _How soon will it end_

 _How strong will it grow_

 _Like the view from a hill_  
 _I can see through the tears_  
 _Like the view from a hill_  
 _I can see down the years_

 _Here's where we belong_  
 _I feel it so strong_  
 _I see it so clear_  
 _As I always will_  
 _Like the view from a hill_

 _Like the view from a hill_

* * *

I woke up in the morning, after having a wonderful dream that I had. I have seen myself and the rabbits arrive at Watership Down. And time moved forward to the present day at the down. Withing the past months, we have had enjoyed our lives, without having continuous threats from _Efrafa_ or that they never know where we are located in the matter. In the meantime, Tyler and I, even Sandy continued to enlighten the rabbits about the music humans listened to, foods we eat, places we have been, and my favorite of course, is showing them movies. We even showed some of the greatest movies that we showed that includes: _Casablanca_ , _Rain Man,_ _Titanic, The Revenant, Children of a Lesser God, Mary Poppins,_ and the latest was _The Shape of Water_. A beautiful love story that a young woman, whose mute, discovered an amphibian creature that they both don't speak, but communicate to each other by sign and later fall in love; as it was almost the retelling or related to _Beauty and The Beast_. Even at in the middle of the dream, I remembered that I sat next to Sandy while watching it with the rest of the rabbits. We both caught each other having our hand/paw touching each other. At first we both looked back at the screen nervously, until we accepted it and mangled while we continued to watch the movie. In return as they have done with me, before our arrival to Watership Down, the rabbits retold the story of _El-ahrairah_ , _Frith_ the sun, and another called _Prince Rainbow_ , finally that I could not forget was _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_.

Now I wake up and Spring came, also nearly forgetting about the family and friends from the other side worrying about where I was. The only times of course that I could be to see my families faces to see they're alright. Although now I know, that I'm safe, happy to meet and befriending new friends that I could ever wish on meeting, even Hazel looking after me and we bonded close as ever. I got up out of my straw, sleeping bag bed, got into my clothes that I have hand-washed at the pond away from the warren, so I don't disrupt their area where they needed water. I pulled out my phone to be in camera mode to see myself, as if I was taking a selfie. I see a myself slightly a year older and have a grown beard. My supply of food is depleted from my pack, except the refill bottle that I could refill water at the brook. Now that my bag is nearly empty, I could put in my portable DVD case in and probably a blanket and a pillow. I brought my pack that still have first-aid kit and my movies if in case to past the time.

When I left my burrow, it seemed that nearly everyone was awake, as some of the burrows were completely empty. I went outside to see Hazel and Primrose enjoying their time together, Bigwig keeping an eye on everyone, Tyler, Fiver, Hawkbit, and Dandelion were enjoying the morning also, and saw Kehaar flying above us.

"Good morning." I said.

"Good morning." Hazel, Primrose, and Bigwig friendly greeted, as we all now a big happy family and neighbors.

"You sleep alright?" Hazel asked.

"I did. Just had a wonderful dream about the past few months that we all settled down." I said. "The reason why it's a good dream is that your kids didn't pounce on me this morning to wake me up." By now Hazel and Primrose have three bunnies. They been teaching them about their ways of how a rabbit lives, the stories that their ancestors passed down unto their families to the next, and of course Bigwig teaching them to defend themselves.

Hazel couldn't help, but chuckled that he does recall that their children had practice pouncing on me for the offensive against enemy rabbits. Although, credit is due to the fact that they had to learn it.

"That's good. Although, isn't it wonderful having little ones around the place? It feels we're really here to stay." Hazel wondered.

"In a real sense and having a family, it is wonderful. They even have a grand view of the countryside too." I said.

"All the seasons I lived in _Efrafa_ , it never felt like home. But here, I can't imagine being happier." Primrose recalled about her _Efrafa_ days and now felt happiness to be free and of course being with Hazel. I watched them nuzzle and I could picture right away how a couple would feel with a love is a kiss. However, I let them do their way.

"Hazel and Andrew, watch this." Bigwig wanted to show us something. The four of us watched to see Kehaar was soaring down and pretended to be a hawk and pursue after Hazel's and Primrose's children. As Kehaar was about to reach towards one of them, the baby rabbits were clever enough to hop towards the side that made Kehaar miss and he crashed landed onto the grass. The four of us and Tyler came with us to see if Kehaar wasn't hurt.

"A perfect landing?" I asked.

He than opened one of his eye lids, before opening another with a smile, telling us that he was fine. "Them pretty, fast, baby chicks you got there." Kehaar complimented while dusting himself off.

"You mean baby rabbits or to say kittens." Tyler said.

"Why kittens?" I asked.

"That's what baby rabbits are sometimes called, kittens." Tyler explained.

"Anyway, they're smart too." Kehaar added.

"And growing fast too." Tyler added.

"They should be. Bigwig's been teaching them everything he knows." Hazel said.

Their kittens than started to playful pile on Hawkbit. "That won't take long... then mind you. Somebody should teach them some matters." he said happily.

"When I was their age, I was already raiding gardens for _flayrah_. Nothing like your first bite of tinder, juicy carrot." Bigwig recalled his young childhood and remembers his first taste of a carrot. "You know, those little ones deserve a taste of the best food in the world. A bit turnip might be rather nice."

"If they were human kids and have bigger teeth, they would probably munch on pizza rather than carrots or turnips." I said.

"You know they're rabbits, Andrew." Hazel said.

"I know that. But just imagine if they were." I said into a thought.

"I'm not sure to imagine that." he said.

"I wouldn't worry about it. Your kittens would have healthy experiences of tasting those carrots." Tyler said.

Bigwig was thinking and thought of an idea for the day. "I got it! What do you say we visit the farm, Hazel."

"Our first day of peace and quiet, and you've got your mind set on an adventure." Hazel said.

"Bigwig has never been one for quiet reflection." Fiver added.

"Unless he's either eager for battle or doing daring things regarding to raiding." I stated.

"Reflections on mill ponds, Ha!" Bigwig said. "This time a year, brussels sprouts are at their peak. Be ashamed to be wasted all on man, wouldn't you say?"

I crossed my arms to give him a smirking stern smile.

"Oh not you, Andrew, but I mean... you know." Bigwig stumbled.

"Know what, Bigwig?" I questioned.

He than chuckled. "I'm sure you know what I meant."

Hazel has some concerns regarding to Bigwig's plan to raid the farm for _flayrah_. "What about Duster? He's not the sort of dog, who let's us wander into the garden and help ourselves now, is he?"

"Not to mention he's a guard dog too. At least he's wasn't from an K-9 unit, if he was we probably won't stand a chance." I added.

"I doubt he would be. I seen him before, he's not even close." Tyler recalled his times living at the farm and dealing with Duster.

At the same time, Bigwig was a bit disappointed that he's idea would get shut down, because he wanted Hazel's and Primrose's kittens to try a carrot.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't forget stinking cat lives there too. Kehaar got a better idea." Kehaar added.

"What better idea are you suggesting?" I asked.

Kehaar flapped his wings and soared up into the skies and flies away. "Kehaar, get 'big water' food for baby chicks! You'll see!" Kehaar screeched as usual, when he flies away. I couldn't help shaking my head and even Tyler did the same.

"When's he going know that their baby rabbits or kittens?" I questioned everyone. Everyone chuckled from the comment.

* * *

"All of this talk of raiding, reminds me of the story of _El-ahriarah_ and _Rowsby Woof_." Dandelion recalls of one of the _El-ahriarah_ tales.

" _Rowsby Woof_?" I questioned.

"Yes, _Rowsby Woof_ was a dog that guarded the garden of _flayrah_." Dandelion explained.

"I don't think I have ever heard of that one, yet." I said, as I sat down to listen, did too with the kittens that came and listen to their Uncle Dandelion's story.

"Well." Dandelion began the story that gathered all of our attention.

 _One evening, El-ahriarah and Rabscuttle decided they'd like some cabbages. They knew the man at the nearby farm at the most, fragrant, mouth-watering cabbages that ever came out of the ground._

 _And El-ahriarah thought Rowsby Woof might do all the work for him. He had a simple plan, for dogs are simple beasts. He tucked his ears under his chin, so he to looked like a dog and than jumped up to get Rowsby Woof's attention._

 _"Oh Rowsby Woof. It is I, your Fairy Wogdog"_

 _"I didn't know I had one." Rowsby Woof replied._

 _"Will you do and I'm here to grant you a great honor." El-ahriarah spoke._

 _"Oh, really." Rowsby Woof said._

 _"The queen of dogs, her royal majesty Dripslobber thinks you're the best cabbage guard, who ever wagged a tail. She wants to give you a nice doggy treat."_

 _"My dreams are come true!" Rowsby Woof was honored. "How humbly I'll roll on the ground for her."_

 _"That's a good boy. The Queen will pass the crossroads this very night. On her way to an... The Great Bark and Scratch at the... Elm Grove." El-ahriarah added._

 _"I'll get there faster than a bark."_

 _"The Queen might be late, but you must wait or the treat will go to a yappy terrier up the lane." El-ahriarah warned Rowsby Woof._

 _Rowsby Woof had dug from the garden to the other side and made his journey. "Oh, guard the garden while I'm gone."_

 _"I'm the Fairy Wogdog, remember? I'll take care of everything in the garden. Everything, I promise."_

 _"I'm coming my Queen!" Rowsby Woof trusted the Fairy Wogdog._

 _"Bye-bye Rowsby Woof. Rabscuttle and I will look after your cabbages, while you're gone."_ _El-ahriarah tricked Rowsby Woof._

 _El-ahriarah now had the perfect tunnel built to the cabbage patch and he didn't have to do any work himself... and so El-ahriarah and Rabscuttle ate more flayrah than any ten rabbits and had a very long, slow trip home._

After Dandelion finished the story, I saw the three kittens fall on their backs on the grass.

"Well told Dandelion!" Fiver praised Dandelion's story telling. Still I couldn't be able to figure out how a dog could be tricked.

"A home dog getting tricked?" I questioned.

"Indeed."

"No offense, but is it true that some dogs are actually smart, only depends on breeds and types of dogs." I said.

"None taken. It may vary." Dandelion added.

"Uncle Bigwig, what's _flayrah_?" one of Hazel's and Primrose's kittens asked Bigwig.

"It's lettuce, carrots, turnips, and other tender morsels that 'man' grows for himself." Bigwig answered, before turning towards Primrose. "You see, appalling ignorance. Breaks my it does."

"Come on now. _Silflay's_ over. Time to go in." Primrose instructed her kittens to go back to the warren, as she follows them. Possibly to have a nap.

"If there's anything I learned, as Captain of _Owsla_ , it's the _flayrah_ waits for no rabbit." Bigwig decided to do a raid on the farm. "Who's coming?"

"Well, ready for a bit of adventure?" Hazel asked the rest of us.

"If that's what it takes to get some carrots, I suppose so." Fiver agreed.

"Ready for some adventure and action indeed." Tyler said also.

Me, Hawkbit, and Dandelion watched Hazel, Fiver, and Tyler join Bigwig.

"You see, that's the trouble with your stories. Suddenly, everyone wants to be _El-ahrairah_." Hawkbit spoke to Dandelion.

"Especially Bigwig." Hazel added. "Andrew, are you coming?"

I gulped for the adventure. "I still don't understand and knowing the fact, a rabbit could trick a certain dog to..."

Before I could say anything, Dandelion just smiled nodded his head. Until I have to just drop it and accept it, although I still have doubts on how dogs talk to other animals, except from movies of course.

"Never mind." I sighed and dismissed it, before joining Hazel and the rest of the _Owsla_ to head towards the farm to raid on for some vegetables.

* * *

When we arrived at the farm, we saw Duster in the fenced garden, keeping watch for rabbits invading the garden. However, the dog was asleep that he wasn't barely doing anything.

"So who gets to be the _Fairy Wogdog_?" Hawkbit asked all of us.

"I'll have a go." Bigwig volunteered.

"It'll be an unusual miracle, if a dog gets our attention and speak to us." I doubt.

"You still don't believe the story Dandelion told us?" Hazel asked.

"It's not that, it's how a rabbit could trick a dog, by talking to it and all I know that a dog barks, whimpers, and growls." I added.

"Unless you wanted to make a challenge?" Bigwig dared me.

"Alrighty than. I bet you five carrots if the dog manages to speak." I started a bet.

"Very well than, my ol' son." Bigwig smirked and started to clear his throat to become the _Fairy Wogdog_. "Oh Duster, it's me! Your _Fairy dog_!"

I first looked at Tyler and I started to laugh because of how Bigwig almost tried to sound like a doe. Everyone looked at me, as they thought it wasn't a joke, except Hawkbit.

" _Wogdog_." Hawkbit corrected Bigwig.

"Would you rather do this?" Bigwig offered to Hawkbit.

"No, no, no, no carry on." Hawkbit insisted for Bigwig to continue.

"You there, dog!" Bigwig went back into character and continue to call Duster and the dog was fast asleep. "Yoo-hoo! Hey hairy face!"

I burst into laughter, as Bigwig's impersonation of _Fairy Wogdog_ failed.

"How about you try?" Tyler asked.

I stopped laughing when Tyler asked. "Me?"

"Yes you. You seemed to be a good actor with Woundwart and Vervain on our chase. You could probably impersonate the _Fairy Wogdog_." Fiver convinced me, as everyone else agreed.

I decided to go for a try for the fact that I have always been very good on impersonating certain Hollywood and TV star celebrities in movies or TV shows, as well as acting from middle school to my last in my junior year in high school.

"Duster! Wake up my pretty dog! It's I, _Fairy Wogdog_! And I'm here to grant you a wish and a wonderful T-bone steak!" I impersonated as _The Fairy Wogdog_ with a feminine voice.

The rabbits and even Tyler than burst into a very loud laughter than I did with Bigwig. Although, they thought it was good, but it was hilarious. Bigwig laughed so hard that he fell onto the grass.

"Go ahead, get it out. Get it all out of your system!" I said sternly, I shook my head.

"Oh come on, Andrew. Can take a joke?" Bigwig chuckled and started to stop laughing.

"Yes and fine, but I won my bet and I get five carrots from you when this over." I won my bet.

Bigwig shook his head and noticed the dog didn't move a inch. "He's not cooperating at all."

"It occurs to me, this dog isn't smart as _Rowsby Woof_. He can't understand us." Hazel said.

"Which makes fooling him a bit tricky." Fiver added.

"And tricking him a bit foolish." Hawkbit stated.

"You see, dogs wouldn't be able to understand us. You can't just simply try to communicate by making it talk." I said.

"Still, I wonder why dogs can talk in the _El-ahrairah_ stories, but not in real life." Fiver wondered.

"Maybe long ago, they could talk. Maybe they gave up all things 'dog' to stay by the hearth and serve 'man'." Hazel stated.

"Sad really." Bigwig agreed.

When we heard a horn sounding off, we ducked down and spotted the truck that the farmer was leaving the house with freight of boxes that probably goes to sale in markets.

"You know, speaking about what you say about dogs used to speak like you guys, remind me of a _Bible_ story that is the origin of humans used to speak in one language. Alike to your stories when all the animals speak in one language." I said.

"What kind of story is that?" Hazel asked.

"Humans used to speak in one language?" Bigwig questioned.

"You mean the _Tower of Babel_?" Tyler guessed.

"That's right." I exclaimed.

"A short story could pass the time." Fiver said.

"Very well than." I pulled out my phone and read through _The Bible_ app.

 _Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there._

 _They said to each other, "Come, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth."_

 _But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, "If as one people speaking the same languagethey have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."_

 _So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth._

"What a interesting story, Andrew. Just imagine if animals were to speak to humans." Tyler complimented and wondered about if animals would have talked to humans.

"It would have been intriguing indeed, Tyler." Hazel added.

"Alright, 'man' is gone and let's try again to talk to Duster to see if he would let us in." Bigwig decided.

"I still have to say it's a bad idea." I disagree. We than make our way to the garden, where it's barricaded with a fence, squaring off the garden. We would try to speak to the dog for the last time, before trying to find an alternative plan to get across and snatch some _flayrah_.

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas in this episode.


	28. Episode 10: A Tale of a Mouse Part 2

A Tale of a Mouse Part 2

We ending up hiding behind a red, wheelbarrow to hide ourselves from the dog, because he was slightly awake to scratch his ear and bite down his shoulder. Bigwig and I came out of hiding, however we saw Duster is now fully awake.

"Anyway to speak to the dog or we could try our impersonations as _Fairy_ _Wogdog_ , again?" i asked Bigwig.

Bigwig stared at the dog, then he started to think to himself, until an idea popped from his head, as his tail wagged. "I've got it!"

"What is it?!" I asked.

"Oh oh, Bigwig is about to suggest something daring." Fiver became concerned as he noticed Bigwig's tail wag that means trouble.

"Oh dear." Hawkbit nearly stuttered close to the timid Piglet.

"No listen, it's dead simple. I let him see me, get him barking mad, he comes after me, right under the fence." Bigwig explained about his idea.

"And then he chases us all over the countryside. Dead simple alright." Hawkbit added to Bigwig's idea, sarcastically.

"We'll hide, until he wanders off, then in we go." Bigwig explained his plan further.

I just thought it was most cheesiest plan that I have ever heard and knowing that it wouldn't work either.

"I don't know, Bigwig." Hazel was unsure.

"Even trying to get the dog's attention, it would probably be more harder for the dog to understand us, to dig a under a simpler fence to come after us. Until, he heads back to the garden again." Tyler reasonably doubted Bigwig's plan too, that the dog could get back to garden, before we could even go in.

"Just watch and learn." Bigwig said. He than hopped back towards the fence and started to get the dog's attention. "Hey! You there! Dog!"

Duster continued to roll himself over around the dirt, as I slapped my forehead with my hand, while shaking my head.

"Hey, _Amlika_!" he than gave up calling on the dog. "He appears to be paralyzed by stupidity."

Duster than came out of nowhere so quickly that he banged on the fence and started to bark, jumping me and Bigwig that we backed away from the fence, as Duster continued to bark. Bigwig, bravely as ever, he went up to the fence and try to communicate to the dog.

"Dig. Under the fence. Come and get me fur-face!" Bigwig tried to have the dog go after him. The dog shook the fence again and continued to bark, but louder than before.

"You're aren't listening, are ya?!" Bigwig shouted. Duster walked away and came back, as he barked. The barking got very annoying that it started to give me a headache.

"Now danding. What a combination." Hawkbit joked about the dog. The dog attempted to jump over the fence, unsuccessful he fell and landed on the ground.

"It must be dreadful to be so thick." Fiver said.

"I wonder why 'man' likes them." Hawkbit wonders.

"Man's best friend." Tyler and I stated the reason why.

"Maybe I'll try to communicate." Hazel decided and started communicate with the dog, with his paws to have him dig. "Dig. Like this. Dig under the fence."

The dog than walked away and continued to bark.

"Ruff, ruff! Wuff, wuff! Bow-Wow!" I tried to talk to the dog, but the dog continued to bark. I looked back to see everyone sternly looked at the dog than me. "I guess that didn't."

We than heard a flower pot broke. Tyler and Hazel spotted the cat and it was coming towards us.

"Tabitha!" Tyler shouted.

"Back to the brambles!" Bigwig ordered all of us to fall back. We managed to escape from the cat, even Hazel nearly got pounced from the cat. When we got over to brambles, Hazel looked around to find Fiver.

"Where's Fiver?" Hazel asked.

"I thought he was right behind us." I thought.

Hazel gasped and we saw Fiver is caught in the pickle with the cat. Fiver fall back to the wheelbarrow, than the wheelbarrow turned upside down and trapping Fiver. As the cat tries to pounce on him, but nearly missed as it landed on the bottom of the wheelbarrow.

"Oh _Frith_ in buff." Hazel whispered to himself, as he saw his little brother trapped in the wheelbarrow. Tabitha got spooked from Duster barking at her and she started to claw her way to get Fiver for her lunch.

* * *

In a desperate situation, Fiver is being in the pickle situation, the dog continues to bark, as the cat tries to claw tries to get a claw at Fiver for lunch.

"This is a bit of a pickle." Bigwig said.

" _El-ahrairah_ would be very pround of this little escapade." Hawkbit said. " 'Oh well done, you brilliant fellows' he'd say."

"That's enough, Hawkbit! We've got to get Fiver out of there." Hazel exclaimed.

"And we'll." I placed my hand on Hazel's shoulder. We heard a rustle from a small bush and came out Hannah.

"Hi Hannah." Me and Tyler greeted.

She waved her paw and she was a bit stern about the situation about dog and cat. "And you rabbits moonstruck?! Cats and dogs everywhere and you come for carrots!"

"It's not as if we mean for this to happen." Hazel exclaimed.

"However, we did heard a flower pot that fell and broke, as well warned us about Tabitha." Tyler said and he noticed Hannah smirking at him. "You did that?"

"I did that to warn you that she was coming towards you rabbits." she said. She than turned back towards the wheelbarrow and did recall that Fiver tried to escape, but he is now trapped. "Fiver's trapped like a mouse. Now what are we gonna to do?"

Hazel started to think and saw my pack. "Andrew? Does your bag could fit anything in there?"

"It does, why?" I asked.

"Well, I've got a vague idea, but we have to let Fiver know what we're up to." Hazel came up.

"I hope you're not asking for volunteers." Hawkbit hoped.

"We'll have to volunteer Hawkbit." Tyler said.

"Andrew, Tyler, and Hannah, you three go to the wheelbarrow and tell Fiver the plan. And when you all dig to the other-side, Andrew will fill your pack full of _flayrah_ if possible and toss the bag over the fence." Hazel instructed.

"Very well than." I said and I pulled out my portable DVD player case and set it to the side. "If you guys could watch it or check on it please, that and the movies means much to me."

"We'll keep an eye for it." Hazel said. "And once Bigwig and I get to the other-side of the garden. It's up to you Hawkbit, to divert the cat." Hazel promised and instructed Hawkbit to draw off the cat.

"Nothing fancy now. Straight in and straight out." Bigwig said to Hawkbit.

"Well I haven't plan to play _Bob-stones_ with her." Hawkbit spoke.

"Remember, Andrew, Tyler, and Hannah are counting on you." Hazel reminded him.

"Fine, let's get on with it."

"Are you three sure you all up for this?" Hazel asked the three of us for assurance.

"I'm sure." I assured him.

"If it takes to get Fiver out, we're ready." Tyler assured also.

"How else can you get to Fiver, call him on 'ringing box'?" Hannah questioned for another suggestion. Hazel became confused from a human term that neither Sandy, Tyler, or I told him.

"What's a 'ringing box'?" Hazel asked.

I turned around and gave him a questionable face. "Really?"

"Well no I haven't heard a 'ringing box'."

Tyler giggled, as I pulled out my cell phone. "This is a cell phone. Humans call each other when someone's away from them."

"I understand a cell phone, but a 'ringing-box' is unfamiliar." Hazel said.

"Andrew, I think Hannah was meaning to say a telephone." Tyler said. "That's what Hazel was wanting to know."

"Oh right. A telephone is used by humans to call someone from their home." I than explained to him what a telephone or "ringing-box" is.

Hazel nodded his head, as he now understands. Hannah tusked, as she shook her head and well... "Oh. Rabbits know nothing."

Tyler and I looked at each and shrugged our shoulders, before joining her.

* * *

We followed Hannah to the wheelbarrow, as Tabitha continues to scratch through the ground, without even noticing we're behind her. I looked at Tyler and Hannah, as they giggled quietly. Hawkbit came from our behind and tackled Tabitha to the ground. He and I started to lift the wheelbarrow to get Tyler and Hannah inside. Before I could get in, the cat spotted me and Hawkbit, I told him to run, as the cat went after Hawkbit. I watched as he managed to flee successfully, but the cat looked back to spot me.

She head her way towards me. I began to grow weak from lifting it, I moved to the other-side with Tyler, Hannah, and Fiver. I managed to close it down on us, nearly crushing my fingers and before the cat could have it's lunch.

"Come out, long-ears, mousy mouse, and mousy human." Tabitha said. "You can't hide, forev-"

"This is our own private domicile and we'll not be harassed!" I shouted. "Pussycat!"

The cat started to scratch the ground and waited for us.

"Pretty fast cat, eh?" Hannah said.

"It's lovely to have visitors, but do you all think you should be here?" Fiver asked. "There is that cat."

"In a either awkward situation or not, we'll be here for you." I assured him.

"No need to worry, Fiver. We're delivering a message from Hazel." Tyler announced to him.

"Are you okay?" Hannah asked.

"Well. Apart from the cat, yes. I'm in a silly mess aren't I?" Fiver answered and asked.

"We all get into silly messes like this before, it's not uncommon." I said.

"Although, it is a silly mess." Hannah answered. "We'll get you out. Hazel said to dig. Dig under the fence, dig under dog."

Fiver didn't take long to interpret the message. "Brilliant! That is clever of Hazel." He than began to dig, along with Tyler and myself. We went at digging underneath the wheelbarrow and started to dig across, actually we didn't know where to dig from. However, Tyler knew exactly where to dig, so we followed his smart wits, as we continued to dig along.

* * *

As it took about five minutes to dig, we began to dig above us. Fiver stopped digging, as he wonders if we're further towards the other side in the garden.

"Think we're far enough yet?" he asked us.

"I'm not too sure, but I have feeling we maybe there." I said.

"How should I know, I'm a mouse not a mole." Hannah said.

Tyler started to sniff above us where the roots were sticking. "We're there. I could smell the _flayrah_ from here."

"Be ashamed to come up under the dog, but let's risk it." Fiver gambled. Since I couldn't be able to dig above us with a shovel, Fiver and Tyler continued to finish digging. As soon the dirt above started to make a hole, all four of us managed to peek our heads out to see we're at the cabbage patch. Fiver had a cabbage leaf on his head, that I thought it was funny and cute.

"Hmmm... cabbage." Fiver smelled the sweet cabbage water.

"You have to do it like how Homer does." I said.

"Who?" he asked.

"Homer Simpson from _The Simpsons_ , whenever he finds something good and delicious, he would go... 'hmmmm... dooodnuutttts'." I impersonated Homer Simpson.

Tyler and Fiver chuckled, as Hannah remained questionable about who Homer Simpson is. "I guess I would have to try it sometime."

We looked around us, until over the carrots field we saw Bigwig have a carrot in his mouth, as the dog wasn't far from us.

"There's Bigwig." Tyler spotted him.

I unzipped my backpack and started to pack with cabbages, cabbage leaves, and as soon we managed to reach over Bigwig, I grabbed some carrots. Duster began to bark again and charged towards us. Fiver, Tyler, and Hannah managed to get through a second hole. I headed towards Bigwig, where he gave the last carrot to Hazel by poking the carrot through the fence. Bigwig headed back towards the hole, where he came in. I tossed my travel pack over the fence, but it got stuck on the top of it, as the strap got caught.

"Don't worry about the _flayrah_ , you need to leave, now!" Hazel exclaimed.

I looked above my backpack, where food was the essence of life. I was determined to bring it back. I started to climb the fence to reach towards the top. Hazel became astonish, as Bigwig and the others came from the other side underground.

"Where's Andrew?" Tyler asked. Others looked up to see me climbing and I managed to got so far that I was about close to the top. The rabbits gasped as Duster came back towards to the fence and shaken the fence. I started to slip from the dog shaking the fence that I almost fell over towards the dog.

"Andrew be careful!" Hazel shouted.

"Don't fall!" Fiver shouted also.

I managed to get my balance back, as I managed to climb to the other side of the fence. I grabbed the strap that got tangled with the fence wire and managed to pull it off from it.

"Incoming!" I warned everyone, as I dropped my backpack to the grass. Before I could start climbing down, the dog shook the fence again and this time, I slipped from my back and hit the fence, as well my foot got stuck. From looking down, my head was upside down facing the rabbits and the grass.

"I'm stuck! I get out! Help!" I shouted for help.

"Hang on, lad!" Bigwig shouted.

Hazel towards my landing spot. "Andrew, just move your leg and I'll catch you!"

"You crazy?! My head would land on top of yours!" I shouted.

"Just free your foot and try to flip on your fall!" Hazel instructed me.

"I never done a flip on my laugh!" I was afraid.

"Just close your eyes and don't think about the fall!" Hazel advised me. "I'll be here and I'll catch. I won't leave."

At least I wasn't going to be landed on the other side where Duster would tear me into shreds. I lean over to unstuck my foot, before I know I started to fall from my head first. I tried to straighten out my body to do a ninety degree angle position. The very next thing was that I landed on Hazel. After he broke my fall, I quickly got off of him and rolled over to see if he was alright.

"Hazel! Did I hurt you?" I became worried.

"No harm done." Hazel warmly smiled.

"Thank you." I thanked him.

He nodded. "Are you alright?"

"I'm falling and I can't get up!" I impersonated as the Steve Urkel himself.

"Whose that?" Fiver asked.

"Steve Urkel from _Family Matters_." I answered.

Everyone chuckled, before we look back at Duster, as he continues to growl and barked.

"Right than. Let's not hang about, grab a carrot." Bigwig instructed the rabbits to grab a carrot, as I picked up my backpack and followed the rabbits to the brambles. When we got there, I had to take a deep breath from all the digging and climbing, as well as the rabbits from digging and running.

"Next time, I get an urge for carrots, I'll talk myself out of it." Fiver was breathing quickly, as he spoke.

"Oh come on, Fiver. Life gets dull without a little terror, isn't it?" Bigwig questioned.

"Not likely." Fiver said.

"You know Bigwig, you keep the five carrots, I want to bail the bet." I said as I put my portable DVD player back in my backpack.

"It's alright, I haven't really played along with it." Bigwig assured.

"Me neither."

After we got ourselves recovered from the excitement and thrills, we watched the dog sniffing one of the holes that we dug up. Interesting enough, it was the same hole that Fiver and Tyler dug. Duster looked to see the cat was on the other side, he decided to dig up the hole, so he could try to get to the other side.

"By _Frith_ , I think he's finally got it!" Hazel saw Duster digging, as we all watched.

"Every dog has it's day." Bigwig quoted.

"Hey, you quoted a proverb!" Tyler exclaimed, than Bigwig winked, before we saw the dog was gone from the garden. Tabitha on the other hand stood there like a statue, until she heard a tab from the wheelbarrow. She still assumed that the four of us: Fiver, Hannah, Tyler, and myself were still trapped. However, when the wheelbarrow lifted up, Duster saw the cat. Fearing for her life, she than retreated back to the farmer's house in a cat and dog chase.

Hannah blew raspberries, while Tyler shouted at the cat. "That's what you get for interrupting my music choice, before being freed!" As soon Duster and Tabitha were out of site, we couldn't help, but laugh from the experience we had and how we tricked them both.

* * *

Later before the evening came, we enjoyed our dinner, as Hazel's and Primrose's three kittens enjoyed their meal.

"...And then that dog rose up from the Earth, like some monster mole sent by _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_." Bigwig finished his story.

"He gave the cat quite a turn." Fiver added.

"Now cat knows how mouse feels." Hannah said.

"Yes indeed. More fun than _Bob-Stones_. Let's do it again soon, eh Hazel?" Bigwig suggested another raid.

"Let's finish these carrots first shall we, Bigwig." Hazel said.

Primrose watched her children eating their first carrot. "Bigwig, if you weren't raiding gardens in their age, however did you get to be your age?" She than asked Bigwig.

"He's pure of heart." Hawkbit stated.

"Like 'Peter Pan'?" I said as I came out with a guitar, with a carrot and a cabbage. "I managed to store some _flayrah_ in a storage burrow, where we could save them for later."

"Great idea Andrew!" Tyler praised, as the rabbits followed. We than saw Kehaar above, as he came back from "Big Water". When he landed, he had a fish he caught from the ocean waters and gave it to Snowdrop, Gilia, and Mallow.

"There! Best food of all! Makes baby chicks into big strong gulls." Kehaar suggested for the kittens to try it. "Try it's good." The kittens had one sniff and they continued to eat the carrot.

"How about if I go for a bite?" Tyler volunteered.

"Good for you man." I commended.

He went over by the fish and took a good bite of it. He actually enjoyed the taste of it, that everyone was surprised as well.

"See Tyler would now be strong as gull!" Kehaar praised.

"I just like the taste of fish." Tyler said.

"Okay Kehaar try." Kehaar went over to the fish, grabbed the fish and gulped it in a single bite, after tossing it to the air. "Ahhh... yea... very good." Everyone started to laugh, even Kehaar laughed also.

I than started to strum the guitar. "You all ready for some dinner and a music?"

Everyone became intrigued and joined in. I began to strum the cords of the guitar to play a song.

 _High upon Highlands,_ _and laigh upon Tay._

 _Bonnie George Campbell_ _rode out on a day._

 _He saddled, he bridled,_ _and gallant rode he._

 _And hame cam his guid horse,_ _but never cam he._

 _Out cam his mother dear,_ _greeting fu sair._ _Out cam his bonnie bryde,_ _riving her hair._

 _"The meadow lies green,_ _and the corn is unshorn._ _But Bonnie George Campbell_ _will never return."_

 _Saddled and bridled_ _and booted rode he,_ _A plume in his helmet,_ _a sword at his knee._

 _But toom cam his saddle_ _all bloody to see._ _Oh, hame cam his guid horse,_ _but never cam he._

After I finished the song, I noticed the guitar began to be tarnished. "Dagnabbit man! The guitar is already tarnished with dirt. At least it didn't even got into the chords and all."

"I think I heard of that song before." Tyler began to recall.

"When was that Tyler?" Clover asked.

"I heard the farmer's family came that included some children. Later in the evening outside, they would sing that song. Before they retire for the night." Tyler recalled.

"I first heard that song from a movie. However, I prefer my mother's songs better though." I said.

"She used to sing to you at night?" Clover asked.

"Oh yes, she did. Although she says that her singing wasn't great, but I disagree." I answered.

"What do you think about your family now a days?" Fiver wondered.

"Well... sometimes you could be the opposite. I know one day I would be among people that could understand who I am and what I do. It seems you all do appreciate of whom I am. If it ever comes to history, music, books, and movies." I answered.

"Andrew, why are you treating great care for us rabbits? Unlike other human beings don't care." Tyler asked.

I thought for a moment and I looked back at him. "Is that what family and friends do?"

Tyler began to think and nodded his head, along with every rabbit, even Kehaar did the same, before I went back to continue to play on the guitar, until the _silflaying_ for the evening is through.

* * *

As the night drew in and nearly everyone is asleep, Primrose was nearly being frantic, as she and Hazel looked around for Gilia, until she bumped into Clover.

"Clover, thank _Frith_." She was jumpy, but relieved.

"Are you alright?" Clover asked.

"I'm looking for Gilia and she isn't found. Hazel started to look for her also. I went to check on our children and noticed that she's missing. We been to every burrow and spoke with everyone and have no luck of finding" she said.

"Why don't worry. I know where she is. Follow me back to my burrow, I'll like to show you something." Clover said.

She and Primrose went along together to find Gilia. When they arrived back at Clover's burrow, they find an adorable discovery. Primrose found her daughter with Tyler, as he was showing her songs on his Zune. Even particularly one of the songs that played by Elvin Bishop.

 _But then I fooled around and fell in love_  
 _I fooled around and fell in love, yes I did_  
 _I fooled around and fell in love_  
 _I fooled around and fell in love_

 _It used to be when I'd see a girl that I liked_  
 _I'd get out my book and write down her name_  
 _Ah, but when the, the grass got a little greener over on the other side_  
 _I'd just tear out that page_

 _I fooled around and fell in love_  
 _I fooled around and fell in love, since I met you baby_  
 _I fooled around and fell in love_  
 _I fooled around and fell in love_

 _Free, on my own is the way I used to be_  
 _Ah, but since I met you baby, love's got a hold on me_  
 _It's got a hold on me now_  
 _I can't let go of you baby_

 _I fooled around and fell in love_  
 _I fooled around and fell in love, oh yes I did_  
 _I fooled around, fooled around, fooled around, fooled around,_  
 _Fooled around, fooled around, fell in love_  
 _Fooled around, fooled around, fooled around, fooled around,_  
 _Fooled around, fooled around, fell in love_  
 _I fooled around, fell in love_  
 _I fell in love, I fell in love, yes I did_

Primrose saw that Gilia snuggled to Tyler, as they began to fall asleep. She even gave Tyler a kiss. It melted both the hearts of Primrose and Clover.

"I see they're both happy to be together for the night." Primrose let her worries go, because she's safe.

"I bet these two love birds would have a good night sleep." Clover smiled.

Primrose agreed. "Let them sleep. And thank you Clover."

"Your welcome." Clover smiled, before she entered the warren to retire. Primrose yawned and decided to tell Hazel that she's fine. She took a look back to see Gilia and Tyler held onto each other.

"Good night young lovers." Primrose smiled and left the burrow.

 _To Be_ _Continued_...

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas for this episode.


	29. Episode 11: Lost Prologue

Lost Prologue

The following morning, after Tyler and Gilia shared the same burrow. He woke up very early this morning, before everyone else to start his morning ritual. He looked around the burrow to his mother was still fast asleep. He than looked at someone next to him still asleep, to find out it was Gilia. He decided to have an idea to share his morning ritual moment with Gilia. He than started to nuzzle her to wake her up.

"Gilia, wake up." Tyler spoke.

Gilia than slightly woke up, as she rubbed her eyes. "Tyler. Is it morning, yet."

"Yes, but early. I wanted to show you something outside." he said.

She than stood up, as she stretched to get herself awake. He than have her follow, as they still kept it their noise to the silent, as everyone else was still asleep. They hopped past through the Honeycomb and made their way towards the warren's exit and out they came, underneath of the peach tree.

"What is it you wanted to show me, it's still dark and _Frith_ is ready to shine yet." Gilia asked.

"Over here." Tyler told her to follow. They managed to walk at least they're still underneath the tree branches. Until, Tyler stopped and showed her the makeshift flag, that still hangs on the tree's branch. Gilia gazed at it and wonders what it is.

"What is that, Tyler?" she asked.

"Where I come from, they call it Old Glory." Tyler told her. He than went on with the leaf that symbolizes the American flag, with the leaf's color in American flag's colors: red, white, and blue.

"Wow." Gilia was amazed.

"Wow indeed." Tyler said also. "I came from a country called the United States. There, our flag is like this, and normally I would do every morning when I see The Old Glory, I would stand tall, salute to the flag, and even sing the National Anthem."

"The National Anthem?" Gilia questioned.

"Yes, do you care for me to sing at?" he asked.

"Oh please do. I would love to hear how it goes." she answered.

He than have her followed the same stance, as he's doing, he had her salute to the flag and standing tall, as he was, and he started to sing.

 _Oh, say can you see,_  
 _By the dawn's early light,_  
 _What so proudly we hailed,_  
 _At the twilight's last gleaming?_  
 _Whose broad stripes and bright stars,_  
 _Through the perilous fight,_  
 _O'er the ramparts we watched,_  
 _Were so gallantly streaming._  
 _And the rocket's red glare,_  
 _The bombs bursting in air,_  
 _Gave proof through the night,_  
 _That our flag was still there._  
 _Oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave,_  
 _For the land of the free, and the home of the brave._

"What a beautiful song!" Gilia praised.

"Thank you. It is indeed and I would like to think it is also." Tyler thanked her. "Do you mind keeping something that I'm going to tell you a secret?"

"What secret?" she asked.

"It's regarding to my own life and I told no one about this and you're the first one." he said. "Can you keep a secret and not share it?"

She nodded her head and listened.

 _I was an orphan while growing up. I lived in a city called New York and there I was living in a orphanage. Ever since I was two, I rescued the very first rabbit that was living in a animal lab, during a trip I went along with rest of the traveling orphans and our guardians. Soon after I saved the same rabbit, I wanted to help and save animals that live in this terrible estate of labs. I told the police back in New York, every time I see animals being experimented on. Mostly rabbits because they test to have rabbits live longer than ten years. Not only about the police shutting down illegal experiments, I help alongside to save smaller animals on small problems like in snares or traps. Until I was four and I was going on about my daily life. I was being stricken by a taxi cab and died._

Gilia started to tear up from this and nuzzled Tyler.

 _Well so after, I was awoken and found myself facing The Black Rabbit of Inle' and gave me a second chance in life, as a rabbit, because what I have done to protect them.I came to the rabbits, before I was living in Efrafa, before I escaped, then I lived in a farm, where I met my adopted mother Clover. Until Finally, we were freed by your father and the Rabbits of Watership Down. And now here I'm._

Gilia and Tyler shared a big hug after he told her about his human life and his second life as a rabbit, in which he's currently now.

"I won't tell anyone, Tyler Damien, I won't." Gilia promised to Tyler.

"Thanks Gilia." he thanked her. "I know I could trust you."

"Of course. I trust you too." she said, as they nuzzled.

"How about we get along with the rest of the morning _silflaying_ , before everyone else is awake and of course our parents." Tyler suggested.

"I would love to." They both shared a nuzzle, once more, and than _silflay_ around the warren, as they remained in their boundaries, until they saw _Frith_ rises for a new day that they lie next to each to watch a new day dawning.

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Note: This prologue is credited by Supernova2015, thank you for your support and contribution as always.


	30. Episode 11: Lost Part 1

Lost Part 1

This morning was more of a _Bob-Stones_ morning. We started a _Bob-Stones_ matches with variety of the rabbits at the down. It went on throughout the morning, however I tried to challenge myself with Hazel. However, my hiding on the rocks were terrible that Hazel could immediately identify how many _Bob-Stones_ I was hiding. I knew in the future someday I would consider a rematch. The matches continue on, until it was Dandelion and Pipkin. They were getting at, despite of Dandelion hardly played the game, but he was natural.

" _Bob-Stone_ guess is one." Pipkin guessed.

Dandelion reveled his paws that he was hiding two rocks. "Oh, hard luck Pipkin."

"Well Dandelion, you've got the makings of a _Bob-Stones_ champion." Blackberry complimented.

"He's only played us and we're not much good." Pipkin said.

"It was close, and I haven't been able to challenge him, after I was being defeated by Hazel. However, how Dandelion plays was pretty well." I said.

"I'll take on all comers. Dandelion, 'The First _Bob-Stones_ Champion of Watership Down', that's quite a nice ring doesn't it?" Dandelion said.

"I don't know, if you go too far, Bigwig is a champion from Sandleford. He could cream you." Tyler said.

"Who could forget about that." I agreed.

"That's right! And you haven't played me yet, chum." Bigwig told Dandelion.

"Sit em up, Bigwig, I'll take you apart." Dandelion challenges Bigwig, as he gently socks him in a boxing stance. The final match is coming around the corner.

"Tell you what, after our _Owsla_ exercises, I'll compete with you for the title and sell this would you say, Hazel?" Bigwig suggested. Hazel, Tyler, and myself saw Hawkbit coming out of the warren coughing and he was fully timid, on he was frightened. We had to see what was going.

"Hawkbit, are you alright?" Hazel asked.

"Of course, why do you ask?" Hawkbit assured him, but wasn't too confident.

"I don't know, you looked you seen a ghost or something." Tyler said.

"Oh... or _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_." Dandelion added.

Everyone started a commotion, as it was supposed to be Hawkbit's first hand encounter with _The Black Rabbit_. However, I did wanted to say that he probably saw something that made him scared, but I couldn't be able to conclude that from my own past fears, also.

"Did he call your name Hawkbit? How did you escape?" Pipkin asked.

"Settle down, everyone!" Bigwig ended the commotion by getting his full attention. "Hawkbit hasn't seen _The Black Rabbit_ , have you Hawkbit?"

"No, no, no, no, no, of course not." Hawkbit confessed.

"Hawkbit, you're covered in dust." Fiver noticed Hawkbit was dirty from the dirt's dust.

Hawkbit looked at his paw and try to say it was nothing. "Well a little dust never hurt anyone, did it?" He than shook himself and the dust spread all over us that we coughed, as it hit our noses.

"Alright, let's get hopping!" Bigwig decided to end the conversation and move forward for _Owsla_ exercises. "Wide patrol, formation! Move out!"

Tyler and I were still slightly concerned about Hawkbit, along with Hazel and Fiver.

"I don't know he's fully better, look at him." Tyler said to Hazel, as he was worried like the three of us. Hazel saw Hawkbit still shivering.

"We'll be along in a minute, Bigwig." Hazel said to Bigwig. He nodded his head and joined the rest of the _Owsla_ , as Tyler, Hazel, Fiver, and myself stayed back.

"Alright, what happened down there?" Hazel calmly asked.

"I discovered something very strange." Hawkbit answered.

"What was it?" I asked.

"I don't know, but it sounded like the warren shake and the ground cracked with a bright light." Hawkbit answered.

"It couldn't be an earthquake." I said.

"I doubt it too." Tyler said.

"Perhaps we should take a look." Hazel decided and the three of followed him, until Fiver stopped.

"Fiver, are you alright?" I asked.

"I don't know... it sounds unusual about finding a strange find." Fiver was concerned.

"We'll be together as a team. There's only one way to find out and see." I said.

"Are you two coming?" Hawkbit asked.

"We're coming!" I shouted.

"Yes... I suppose." Fiver wasn't too sure.

* * *

When we got to the warren, we followed Hawkbit to the deeper part of the warren that nearly goes beyond the boundaries.

"I was on my way up, when I heard..." Hawkbit told us what happened, than we heard strange sounds that come from deeper parts of the warren. It nearly sounded like a drill digging through a cave, but I couldn't tell for sure. "...that. It came from down there." Hawkbit went further that we followed him.

"I don't like the sound of that." Fiver felt uncomfortable.

"Maybe it sounds like we're near to a cave, below us." Tyler said.

"Blackberry told us to stay out of this section. She's worried about a cave-in." Fiver said.

"Like this." I pointed at the cracks where bright lights shine from below.

"Either way, she has a point." Hawkbit said. The four of us went towards the cracked hole, still only to see the bottom was covered with bright lights.

"It's deep." Hazel said.

I grabbed a small pebble and dropped into the hole. I couldn't be able to see where the pebble went and it didn't make a sound of impact when it may hit the ground or it went to the bottom of the Earth.

"Not a sound." I concluded.

The wind below than blew towards our faces. I even got a chance to smell the wind and it smelt like minerals and crystals. I looked back to see my shadow was on the wall.

"Oh my!" Fiver feared, as he and three looked back to see the shadow shows another rabbit.

"Fiver it's just a shadow of yourself." I said.

"I don't think so." Hawkbit said.

Before I could go further, the tunnel and the ground began to shake. The ground split up into different piece, then Hazel and Hawkbit fall into the pit. There was only me, Fiver, and Tyler. The ground began to crack again below us. Not having much time to react for everyone one of us, I had to pick up Fiver and tossed him behind us, so he wouldn't have to be part of the victim. When he landed on the other-side behind us, Tyler fell in, as I tried to run, but I managed to grab hold on the edge.

"What should I do?!" Fiver cried.

"Get help! Just go and get Bigwig and the _Owsla_ back here to get us out of here! Go!" I instructed Fiver. Before I heard Fiver's reply, the edge where I was holding cracked and I fell, before the tunnel caved in. I could only close my eyes, as I thought it would be the end and only praying that Fiver got out of there. In split seconds my head landed and I blacked out.

* * *

In a few short minutes later, I woke up from me coughing from the debris of dirt showering above us. Disoriented, I ended up hearing Hazel, Hawkbit, and Tyler talking.

"Hawkbit and Tyler! Are you alright?" Hazel asked while coughing.

"We're fine, we just broke each other's fall." Tyler said while coughing, as he was on top of Hawkbit.

"Of course." Hawkbit coughed.

"Andrew!" I than heard Hazel calling me, as I was still coughing. "Andrew."

I couldn't be able to speak as my coughing continued. My vision became clear when I saw Hazel standing next to me. "I'm alright."

"Fiver! Are you there?!" Hazel shouted for his brother.

"He's alright. I tossed him away from the cave-in and he should be probably be on his way to get help." I told him.

"Where are we?" Hawkbit asked.

"Looks like we've fallen into a cavern below the warren." Hazel answered.

Tyler looked up. "It sure looks like a long way up to back to the top."

"You're right. The rubble would just keep falling in on us." Hazel said.

"Did you see _The Black Rabbit_?!" Hawkbit asked everyone.

"I haven't." I answered. "I know Fiver was a bit spooked about it, but I told him it was just his own shadow."

"How can you be so sure?"

"If a bright light shadows off of you. You'll be able to see your shadow. I'm sure that wasn't _The Black Rabbit_ , if I seen one." Tyler explained.

"In regards of getting out, it would days to dig through that." Hazel said.

We looked around to see cavern minerals and crystals shine around us. However, it was still dark that we nearly barely could see each other. I took out a flashlight from travel pack, luckily I didn't have my portable DVD player there or it would cost a fortune to buy another. When I turned on the flashlight, the light came out.

"It works!" I shouted, as I sprayed around it and tried to shine over Hazel, Tyler, and Hawkbit. My aiming went bad that it end up hitting their eyes, as it was too bright.

"Arghh!" all three of them screamed.

"Sorry, it was just my flashlight. Now we could be able to find our way out of this." I said.

"Yes, we understand please dim the lights." Tyler was blinded.

"Please, Andrew. It's hitting our eyes. And we can't see." Hazel said also, while trying to shield his eyes with his paws.

"Shut that thing off or I'll break it!" Hawkbit exclaimed.

"Don't worry. We could be able to find way out easily and also to find fissures, holes and such." I exclaimed. However the flashlight didn't even lasted long until it dimmed to no light at all.

"Awww... dang it. I forgot. I ended up using for the trip with Walter and used it all up for star gazing at night." I was disappointed for the fact that I used it mostly at night.

"It's alright. Thanks for trying." Hazel thanked me for the flashlight that gave a little effort because of the batteries were dead.

"Now, we need to find our way out." Hawkbit said.

"Hold on, in these situations like this, we should just sit here and wait, until Fiver gets help." Tyler suggested.

"He's right. I feel like one of my legs took a hard landing, I don't think I could get up right away." I said, as I felt a little pain on one of my legs from the fall.

"Just rest your feet for now, until you're better. Also, when Fiver get's to Bigwig and told him we're missing, they'll get us out." Hazel said.

"You just said it might take days to dig through that mess." Hawkbit argued.

"Maybe not, we have Blackberry as an expert digger, along with everybody else. If they worked together, it may take shorter than we expected a day." I kept the optimism up.

"Besides, we should wait for a little bit to see if they could find us, before we go anywhere or worse get separated." Tyler added.

"Look, the abandoned burrow is the last place they'll look. I say we get moving." Hawkbit was rushing to get to out of the cavern.

"I don't think that's wise, Hawkbit. You heard what Tyler said. If we split, we may get separated." Hazel stopped Hawkbit.

"Don't forget about my experience, how I ended up here. I got separated from Walter and now I'm away from home." I wouldn't forget the day how I got separated and lost Walter.

"Fine!" Hawkbit finally agrees. We than decided to wait for help. Minutes later, after our fall into the caverns the temperature started to drop crazy as if it was near to the freezing point of degrees. I didn't find myself too cold, not because what I was wearing, but I was used to it.

"The cavern started to be cold." I slightly shivered.

"And damp." Hawkbit added. "How could you not be able to freeze?!"

"An Alaskan boy myself. I get used to these temperatures like, even if gets cold in California, go anywhere where it's cold." I said.

"I'm starting to feel hungry. And it's only just us, remember the weasel?" Tyler said and asked.

"Of course I remember that doesn't mean he's here." Hawkbit said.

"Hawkbit is right. You and the _Owsla_ defeated the weasel, there's no way he could be trapped in here. Remember he found his way of here. If it did, we could find a way out too. Only until there's no help arrive of course." I recalled about the weasel.

"The others will find us. Don't worry." Hazel kept our spirits high.

"If Hazel says we wait, we wait and what happens, happens." Hawkbit said in a sarcastic attitude as always in a bad situation.

I started remember that I have some leftover of food in my travel pack. I unzipped my bag and search through it for food. Apparently, blissfully, I still have a shortage carrots and a cabbage from our raid at the farm, along with one bottle of water.

"You have food!" Hawkbit shouted.

"Yes, but I'll have to pour the water to the bowl and mean time, we should also conserve it, until we find our way out or we got help." I warned him. Without thinking twice about my warning, Hawkbit took a carrot and started eating. I than gave two carrots to Tyler and started munching.

"Bless you." Tyler thanked me.

The only thing left was a cabbage and I was willing to give it to Hazel. "You could have it."

"No I can't Andrew. It's yours. Not your _flayrah_." Hazel refused.

"I know. But it's mine and I'll do anything with it. Besides I'm not really hungry." I insisted and gave the cabbage to Hazel. Before he could take a bite, he gave me a quarter of the cabbage, as I poured some water to the bowl. And we prayed over our shortage meal and we feasted on it slowly, so it could savior the hunger for later.

"And Andrew... thank you." Hazel thanked me along with Tyler again, and Hawkbit.

"You're welcome." I said before we went back to eating.

 _To Be Continued..._


	31. Episode 11: Lost Part 2

Lost Part 2

After we ate the _flayrah_ from my travel pack, and there's only a half of the water left, I knew Hawkbit and Tyler, including myself we're starting feeling a little edgy. It feels like it's been over an hour and no one has found us yet. We saw Hazel looking at three different tunnel paths and he was sniffing for fresh air. We decided to see what he's up to and it could be our chance for the four of us to leave the caverns. My leg was a much better state than when I woke up, that we walked towards Hazel.

"Anything at all?" I asked.

Hazel sniffed once again. "You know, there's fresh air coming from somewhere."

"And one of these three tunnels may lead us out somewhere." Tyler said.

"That's what I've been saying all along." Hawkbit said.

"Well... you're not loud enough." I added.

Hazel tries to sniff in the three different directions. "Which direction are we going to take?" Tyler asked.

"What difference does it make, as long as we're moving!" Hawkbit exclaimed.

"There's a difference, one way could lead us somewhere that could be the exit of the cavern, another to take us in circles, and another to a pit." I said.

Hazel sniffed one more time for reassurance. "Let's try this tunnel here." He decided to lead us at the right tunnel.

As we gone through the right tunnel, it somehow had us gone around that we ended up going in circles when we came out of the left tunnel.

"We're back again." I said.

"We went in circles, now we have to try the middle tunnel." Hazel said.

"Are you sure, because we may end up finding in a wrong direction and we may get lost." Tyler warned him.

I searched through my backpack to find a half sliced bread that went stall. Hazel and Hawkbit wondered what I was going to do with it.

"What would you do with that stall bread, eat it in front of us?!" Hawkbit questioned.

"No, I don't eat stall bread. However, we could leave the crumbs by making a trail." I answered.

"Almost like leaving a certain scent, Andrew you're genius!" Hazel praised.

"Really?"

"Sure, who else could use stall bread crumbs, that no one is going to eat and decided to leave a trial like Hansel and Gretel." Tyler praised also.

"I knew that a stall bread could be useful for something." I said.

"Let's check the last tunnel, Andrew you know what to do." Hazel instructed us to move out. We started to follow him to the last and third tunnel, while I started to drop bread crumbs to the ground making a trail. However, as soon I was about nearly out of the stalled bread, Hawkbit tried to rush me and Tyler.

"Keep moving you two!" Hawkbit pushed us.

"We're, just be patient! We're making a trail, unless we get lost." I told him.

Hazel stopped to smell for air once again. "I can smell fresh air just up ahead."

Since my flashlight was dead with no extra batteries, I used my cell phone and have an app for a flashlight. Tyler could see a blocked path that looked like a dead end.

"Hazel, hold on a minute." Tyler halted him.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"We're at a dead end, we can't go ahead." Tyler explained.

"You heard him, there's a way up there." Hawkbit started to push Tyler. Suddenly, Tyler started to fumble, as he's at a dead end, but also towards the cliff. The rocks on his feet broke, as it falls to the bottom. Tyler nearly fall, but if it was for Hazel, as he caught him from his mouth on the edge of Tyler's paw. Hazel managed to pull Tyler back up and got him back on his feet.

"Tyler, are you alright?!" I asked and worried.

"I'm alright." he answered. "Hawkbit, you almost made me fell!"

"There's a way out! You said there was!" Hawkbit exclaimed.

"It's a dead end, we need to find another way out." I explained.

"I'm sorry Hawkbit, but we have to go back." Hazel apologized.

Hawkbit went towards the cliff of the dead end and looked down that we would have been us, if we kept going forward without looking ahead. "All this way! We come all this way, for nothing!"

He turned back and went off ahead of us. We than started to follow, however he started to go faster and faster that we can't pick up our speed to catch up with him.

"Hawkbit, wait up!" Tyler tried to call out to him.

Hawkbit continued to press ahead without answering us. He kept turning his head left and right to pick a random direction. He than went ahead and took a upward path. When we got back where the crumb trail ends, he was half way up.

"Hawkbit, slow down!" Hazel called. A big stone rolled towards us, that we quickly managed to get out of the way and it broke apart when it impact to the cavern walls.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked.

"He's becoming paranoid." Tyler answered.

Hazel felt disappointed. "And it's my fault, I let him down."

"It's not your fault, Hazel. We just need to let him know that we could be able to find our way out. You helped in tough situations before and you'll again like any other." I assured him.

"We just got to give him courage that's all." Tyler added. We than looked at Hawkbit and he entered a tunnel.

"Come on you two, we can't lose him." Hazel went ahead, as Tyler and I followed to catch up with Hawkbit.

* * *

We climbed up the same path and we entered the same tunnel, where Hawkbit took. When we got into the tunnel, I slightly looked around, as I was following with everybody else and saw cave crystals that looked like icicles. The ground started to feel slippery that my feet started to slide and I fell on my back. It than slid me towards Hawkbit, he eventually stopped as he saw himself in front of him in reflection. He than crashed into the crystal icicles and started to slide. We than bumped into each other and continued to slide towards the end of the icicle path.

"Sorry Hawkbit, I would have been wearing ice skating shoes, if I would have ice skate before." I apologized to Hawkbit. I than looked at him, as he was quivering in fear.

"We're lost. We'll never get out. No one would ever know what happened to us!" Hawkbit feared.

"Look, you can't be frightened yourself all the time." I told him.

"Why not? It's easy for you to say." Hawkbit asked.

"It's not always for me, I get scared sometimes to smaller things. I know when I was little, I was told from my parents to not think about it, look the other way, or you could fight your fears." I advised him.

"How?"

"Just believe. If you believed you would get to Watership Down like everybody, you could believe that we can find our way out." Tyler came and told him, as Hazel came behind him.

"Look at you, you and Hazel are hardly afraid. Andrew on the other hand, has his fears too." Hawkbit said.

"Not all the time." I said, than I looked around. "Well... sometimes."

"We all have fears. Even Hazel was afraid that you lost his faith and trust." Tyler added.

"Hawkbit, we needed you to be strong. If we don't, we all be mad and be lost forever." Hazel added.

Tyler and I nodded, as we agree with Hazel's point. Hawkbit quiet shivering, picked himself up and dusted himself off. He than offered me a helping hand to pick me up. I grabbed his paw and he picked me up, as I got back on my feet again. As well, I'm no longer on the slippery "slope" ice rank.

"Well let's just keep moving forward and try not to look back." I suggested.

"Unless you wanted to try to skate, you'll be bad on it for sure." Hawkbit joked.

"Hey, I never even skated on ice before!" I exclaimed, as the three started to laugh, as we went ahead to find our way out. For a short period of time, there was no other obstacles that stopped us going forward, until we find a certain part of the cavern that has some small bits of greens rooted, even a small waterfall that trails that could lead outside.

"Wow. I never seen a cave like this before. Not when I was young of course." I was amazed by God's beauty of nature that has light for the caverns.

" _Frith_ sure does hides beauty in strangest places." Tyler said.

"You guys are the first to see it. You should be amazed." I commended.

" _Frith_ wouldn't make all this just for us, would he?" Hawkbit was amazed also and he forgot his fear.

"He made the world for us, didn't he Dad?" Tyler asked. Hawkbit turned to Tyler after he said "Dad". I was surprised too that he just said that also. "I'm sorry I didn't mean it."

"No, it's alright." Hawkbit assured. "If we were meant to see this, than he must want us to tell about it, so that means we have to get out."

"See, you starting to have faith again." Tyler commended him and looked slightly down.

"Why are you feeling down, now?" Hawkbit asked.

"It's just before Clover adopted me, I never had a parent, until she did. For awhile I was living at Watership Down, I was picturing you as my father."

"Look mate, I may not be the best of it." Hawkbit doubted.

"I don't know. You two look like a good match, I don't think there's nothing wrong with it. Only you get a chance to know Clover and you three may be good family." I thought it was good idea for them to be Father and Son. "You two been together in this messy situation and you two would make it out together."

The two looked at each other and than smiled and got closed together with arms around each other. "Well, if you two insists, there wouldn't be a matter of trying." Hawkbit decided.

"Hawkbit, Tyler, Andrew, come over here." Hazel called for us. We went over to him and we saw a stream that possibly flows outside of the cave. Hazel began to smell once again. "I can smell a river, weeds, water lilies, and they can't grow in here without sunlight!" he than exclaimed.

Hawkbit than took a big smell of fresh of air that relieved him from fears of caves. "The outside." We than made our slight journey downwards, as we follow the waterfall trail. After our short flight down, we than arrived at a water path that leads outside of the caverns.

"Daylight. We're almost out. Wait here." Hazel instructed us.

"We should try to go out together and see it for ourselves." I suggested.

"No, a stream might run over a waterfall or into the rapids. It'll become silly to come all this way to get killed." Hazel refuses.

"I suppose." I agreed.

In a split second, Hawkbit jumped into the water and came out from the depth. "I'll go. The warren can't afford to lose you, Hazel."

"Now hang on!" Hazel tries to stop him.

"You got us this far, Hazel. As usual, let me try to be brave for once." Hawkbit reasoned with him.

"Hawkbit, you only charged up a cat and that's it." I added.

However, Tyler jumped in also and tagged along. "No, I'll go along too."

"Tyler it's not safe for you to swim." Hawkbit held on to him.

"I know, but I can't lose you. If you go, I go." Tyler refused to leave Hawkbit's side.

He nodded. "Cats are easy, facing the unknown, that's the trick." Hawkbit stated, before he and Tyler swam off together to the exit of the caverns.

"Should we probably go after them in case?" I asked.

Hazel shook his head. "They seemed to swim alright, they'll come back." We than sat down and waited for their return.

* * *

In about minutes later, we saw Hawkbit and Tyler swimming back towards us.

"Any sign?" I asked.

"We did, we even brought in a special visitor." Tyler answered. And Bigwig swam towards us and got out of the water.

"Howdy, stranger." I greeted.

"Good to see you all in one piece." Bigwig smiled and than his smile faded, as he looked towards the exit. "They're moving on."

"Who?" I asked.

" _Efrafa_ , their patrol is scouting around all over." Bigwig answered.

Tyler and I became surprised that their search and patrol are expanding. "They're probably searching for me particularly." I said, as I looked down, as the revolt became a fail.

"They're not searching for you for what you have done. They're searching for me and the warren. Besides it's not your fault, we did the best we could and we succeeded getting: Primrose, Blackavar, and Sandy out of here." Tyler added.

"We'll wait here till dark, than we make our way home." Hazel decided.

Bigwig looked around, as if he hasn't seen this place before. "What is this place? How'd you managed to get here?"

The four of us looked at each other and trying to figure out what to say. Until Hawkbit, stood up.

"We just had to believe hard enough." I could help, but patted him on the shoulder, as Tyler gave him a hug and it melted my hear to see them two hug, as for Hazel seeing this. Bigwig shrugged his shoulders, until he decided to let it go, as Tyler and Hawkbit explained to him about what had happened.

Later when the evening came, we left our hiding place and headed our back to the warren. When we came out, I recognized the brook right away, as I remembered that I bathed there to cool myself off from the digging, since we started digging up burrows. We went around and climbed up the down and saw the peach tree still standing tall, as always.

"Hello!" we heard Kehaar flying above us and landed near the warren's entrance, before all of us headed inside. However, when we got inside, the warren was completely empty.

"Where is everyone?" Hazel asked.

I than remembered. "I believe that everyone else is still searching for us. Remember I told Fiver to have Bigwig and everyone to find us?"

We than headed to the same tunnel where Hawkbit showed us, before we fell from the cave-in that got us to the caverns below. We than heard Blackberry and everyone else were coughing, as they had just finished digging their way down.

"I. Can. Not. Believe this. They dug all the way down, just now." I was shocked.

"We didn't know where you were, while I was assuming that you were taken back to _Efrafa_." Bigwig explained.

"Well that's true."

Hazel than heard Primrose's voice from the bottom, as she found our footprints that marked our trail.

"Primrose, Blackberry, we're here!" Hazel shouted, as we peeked through the giant hole. We than saw Blackberry, Dandelion, and Pipkin, before comes Primrose.

"What are we doing up there? We're down here rescuing you." Dandelion asked us.

I than came up. "Let's just say that we found our way out, before we found you."

* * *

Later on after a long day, for searching high and low, Dandelion and Bigwig challenged each other for the title of " _Bob-Stones_ Champion of Watership Down".

"Come on Dandelion, get this right and you win." Pipkin cheered for Dandelion, as it was a tie breaking point of the match.

"I'm sure not long ago, you four were all terrified down here." Fiver suspected.

"True, but we found light of the caverns that it's full of beauty and life at the same time." I spoke to him.

"It's part of our warren now." Tyler said, as he got close to Hawkbit. Even Clover and Hawkbit looked at each other and smiled, before looking back at the match.

"Also, we've a secret way to the heart of _Efrafa_. Funny on how things turn out." Hazel added.

"And Fiver, I must ask. How did any of you guys got of afraid of your own shadows?" I asked.

"Well soon after I headed my way out, I saw my own shadow, only to find out that it was just me, not _The Black Rabbit_. However, Dandelion and Pipkin were afraid, until Blackberry and myself explained to them that it was just ourselves." Fiver explained. Hazel and I couldn't help smiled as everyone got over their own fears of their own shadows.

" _Bob-Stone_ guess is... one!" Dandelion had to think at first, before making his guess, confidently.

Bigwig smiled and revealed there was one pebble hiding underneath his paws. "So we have our new champion."

Everyone cheered and congratulated Dandelion as "The First Champion of _Bob-Stones_ at Watership Down". Even Dandelion made his victory pose for his winning title.

"La-la!" Dandelion cheered for his victory.

We all cheered and laughed, as we finished the match, as I looked around the caverns and I'm sure everyone has noticed. But I did seen that it shined very brightly that signifies of Dandelion's Victory and our first discovery of our very own secret part of the Warren's Wonders below the warren itself.

Hours after Dandelion's victory, everyone went off to their burrows, as Tyler and I were heading to ours. We saw Hawkbit coming around the corner.

"Hawkbit? Are you alright?" I asked.

"I'm fine and better. I hope you don't mind if I ask; Tyler can you come see in my burrow?" Hawkbit asked asked Tyler.

Tyler and I looked at each other and I nodded. "I'll give you two some space. See you around." I excused myself to give them privacy. I stopped at the corner and the two went off, so I thought not to intrude, but to follow. It lead me to Hawkbit's burrow, however I stood outside of the burrow, without seeing me.

"Can I ask you something? Why did you call me 'dad'?" Hawkbit asked.

"Well... we been at each other since I first arrived. I know you were on the sarcastic side of things a bit and how you put some of the rabbits down." Tyler answered.

"But why?"

"I just see you as a Father to me. You let me help you get over the fears today at the caverns. You already know that I was orphan, until Clover adopted me. The only thing I'm missing is a father." Tyler went further.

"Look Tyler, at times I could be at someone's face in all in the wrong way, or being nice to someone, but I don't qualify to be your father." Hawkbit said. "Although I do appreciate you came along with me to see the outside of the caverns."

Tyler seemed a little disappointed, but than he looked back at him. "I wouldn't care if you drive me crazy on how you act, sarcastically. However, you did show your father ship to me, when I jumped into the water, before we went together. You somewhat knew that I couldn't hardly swim, but I had practices now that did while leaving the caverns. The truth is... I would want you as my father more than anything. Even if you and Clover haven't had face to face."

Hawkbit seemed a little conflicted, but he realizes that he doesn't have much of a choice, if he wanted Tyler to be his son. When he looked at him, Tyler gave him a warm smile to show his love.

Hawkbit than sighed. "Alright, alright. I'll talk to Clover. However, it doesn't mean that I'll be the great fath-" Before he could finished, Tyler embraced him with a hug, before Hawkbit could hug Tyler. My heart melt that now Tyler has a father, but he needed to have the mother and father together to have a happy family.

"Goodnight... Dad." Tyler said, after a hug and a kiss.

Hawkbit didn't know what to say at first, after having the first reaction of having a adoptive son. He than puts a warm smile. "Goodnight Son."

Tyler than left Hawkbit's burrow, without noticing me being here, as he was cheerful on his way to his burrow.

"Fair play to you, Hawkbit. Very fair play." I said to myself thinking about Hawkbit's decision on to be Tyler's father. I than started to head my way back to my burrow and called it the night, after a long day.

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his idea in this episode.


	32. Episode 12: Friends and Enemy Part 1

Friends and Enemy Part 1

The sun was at it's set, as the some of us were outside and little further from the warren to relax and be relieved for the day. I saw Bigwig and Fiver were power napping on the grass. Sandy and myself were watching the sun going down, while playing a George Strait love song on my phone.

"Romantic isn't it?" I asked her.

"Yes it is. Very beautiful." Sandy smiled and signed. She than started to rock her head slowly to the beat of the song.

"You like this song?"

She nodded and signed. "George Strait's _Give It All We Got Tonight_."

"I hardly heard his songs much, except _Love Without End Amen_ and _Check Yes or No_." I said, before we looked back at the sunset. "If you ever come back, what would you do?"

Sandy took a minute to think and thought about her future. "I may have to travel back to the states to be with my mother. What about you?"

"I don't know. I know of course, like you, I need to head back to the states. May continue on with finding work and trying to get back into school." I said. "Maybe I could be able to write about this place and my experience. Only if I do find my way home."

"I'm sure we will." she signed.

"However, I don't everyone is going to believe it. Look at me. A high functioned Autistic man writes a story about his journey with rabbits of Watership Down. I may ended up being joked and clowned on." I sadly said about reality, if they have read it.

Sandy knew that I shouldn't have that kind of reaction. "If you did publish it, you'll be my first reader and I'll tell everyone, with you beside me, and say it's true."

"Thanks Sandy." I thanked her, before we gave each other a kiss. However, it got interrupted of course from Dandelion chewing grass with his mouth open and smacked.

We turned back at him, as he was enjoying the flavor and swallowed in one big gulp. "It just doesn't get much better than this now, does it?" he said, with a burp.

"Do you mind?!" I questioned him.

"Mind what?" he asked me.

"We're trying to have a moment here." I told him, as he ruined our kissing moment. Sandy chuckled, as she likes to see me, Dandelion, and/or Hawkbit; basically all three of us going at each other like dogs.

"All we need to munch now is carrots." Hawkbit said.

"That's only of course, we go on another raid." Tyler said.

We'll chuckled, as Dandelion admired on the sunset. "Brilliant weather, not a hawk or fox in site. Days like this don't come on every day."

"Shh." Hawkbit shushed Dandelion.

"Something wrong, Dad?" Tyler asked, as he stayed close to his father.

"Ohh... Hawkbit that's your trouble. You can't see the simple beauty-" Dandelion spoke.

" _Efrafa_ patrol!" Hawkbit whispered.

We became surprised that _Efrafa_ has expanded their patrol further, than I was surprised from Bigwig, when he escaped from them, as Hawkbit, Tyler, Hazel, and myself were trapped in the caverns. The five of us went over to Bigwig and Fiver, as they were awake, when the first sound of an hawk flew by. We hide ourselves deep in the tall grasses to be concealed. We than spotted the _Owsla_ doing their patrol as usual and also searching for outsiders. Not to forget the mention... our warren.

"Something?" Campion questioned one of his officers. A new rabbit I suppose, as I never seen him before. He was light gray with gray-tan markings on his face and the rest of his body. Even his eyes were white like color.

"I'm not sure sir." the new rabbit answered.

"You see him before, Sandy?" I whispered to her.

She shook her head for a "no". We than heard Vervain disciplining a rabbit, who was started to become tired from the patrol. "You rest, when I tell you to rest and not before!"

"He's exhausted, Vervain." Campion defends the rabbit.

"He's _Owsla_ and he'd better act like it." Vervain exclaimed. "Right, move out!" He than rushed ahead, as Campion looked back at his officers.

"Boy, he sure is strict." I whispered.

"Come on lad, you can make it." Campion encouraged the exhausted rabbit to keep going. The rabbit picked himself up and joined with the rest of the _Owsla_ to continue their search.

As soon after they were out of our sights, Bigwig knew it was the best time to head back to the warren. "Let's go, quietly now." As we were close to the warren, as we're climbing up, I could see Vervain and his _Owsla_ not at a far distance. It tells me that they could come around any point in time to discover this warren and we'll be taken back to _Efrafa_.

After arriving back to the warren, Bigwig had told Hazel about the situation and thought that we need to take action to draw them away from our warren. As other rabbits, including myself backed Bigwig that Woundwart's _Owsla_ are always around every corner.

"Woundwart's patrols are getting closer all the time." Fiver backed up.

"If the wind shifted, they would have been onto us." Hawkbit added.

"Even the wind blows or not, they would find us no matter what." Tyler added.

"It's getting to the point, where it's not safe to go outside!" Bigwig exclaimed. "We got to do something, Hazel. We can't just sit up here, hoping the _Efrafa's_ won't find us."

"Or even have any survivors from the revolt that have escaped and would be able to show up around the corner and rescue us." Comet added. "Only if we have known."

"You're right." Hazel said. "We need to take more direct action."

They cheered, as I was solemn for the fact that we had to take any advance as possible to solve this conflict.

"Alright! Than some raids maybe? Maybe the old surprise attack might make them back up a bit." Bigwig suggested.

"I don't know. I'm pretty sure after that revolt, the _Efrafa's_ would have more security that anybody, who plans it, could get executed on the spot." Comet said.

"Comet's right. Woundwart's warren and his _Owsla_ are bigger and stronger than us." Hazel agreed to Comet's point.

"Though they're not looking their best, I get a feeling that Woundwart driving them too hard." Fiver pointed out.

"Fiver's right, Hazel. They're not, 'how would you' say 'running at top speed of these days'." Dandelion agreed.

"But still they outnumber us." Hazel added.

"Even though, it doesn't matter the rabbits they have, it's more on skill and trickery. They may not have it, unlike we do." Tyler said.

"Exactly, Tyler! We must learn from _El-ahrairah_." Hazel praised and suggested.

"Oh, you mean using trickery and cunning. Alright, out with it." Bigwig is intrigued.

"We lay false trails and set clues to lead the _Efrafa's_ scouts away from us. It'll mean a lot of work." Hazel planned.

Dandelion scratched his ears and smiled. "Doesn't always."

"Or you could send them training wheels and spread them out at a certain point with bottles of Gatorade or bags of carrots." I paraphrased a quote from the movie _Argo_.

Everyone looked at me, as Hawkbit and Tyler couldn't help, but chuckled. Dandelion, Comet, Primrose, and Fiver were confused with the term Gatorade and training wheels.

"I beg your pardon, lad?" Bigwig questioned me, as Hazel was stunned.

"Don't get me wrong, trickery and cunning is always a good choice to create sabotage on their patrol routes and cutting them off. However, they would know at a certain point later that they would ended up trying to figure out this trick and they'll be too smart to realize they're false trails." I doubted.

"You're saying it won't work?" Hazel questioned.

"No. I'm only saying it would be more of a temporary tactic to draw them away. However, it will only short of this antic." I explained.

"You're telling us that our ways of tricking and using cunning won't work?" Primrose asked.

"Of course not." I answered.

"Than what's your point?" Comet asked.

"Look. The _Efrafa's_ are more like _Gestapos_." I said.

" _Gestapos_?" Bigwig questioned.

"Secret police." Tyler explained to Bigwig.

"Thank you, Tyler." he thanked him.

" _Gestapos_ maybe slightly dumb for the fact that they're only officers for the land, however if comes to foreign activities that disrupts their flows. You'll anger them a lot more and they would send themselves along with the big boys to track down the disturbance and figuring out, whose causing it." I explained further.

"Everyone seems to understand your point and it maybe temporary. Do you have another plan or option?" Hazel asked me for ideas, as everyone stared at me.

As they waited for a answer, I couldn't be able to think for another tactic to draw them away. "I hate to say it. I don't."

Hazel nodded. "It's alright. Let's use the trickery and cunning to draw them away, starting tomorrow."

* * *

In the next morning, Hazel and the _Owsla_ went to make false foot prints to draw them away. I tagged along with Fiver and we arrived by a small sandy riverbank. As we're making false trails, I saw something that was hiding underneath a boulder. I only moved a bit only see it was round, brownish color, and have a single hole at the point. I than saw something flying back into it, until I realized it was a nest. I became hypnotized standing there, and thinking it maybe a nest for a certain insect. I backed away and joined back Fiver.

"Hey Fiver."

"What is it?" he asked.

I was too afraid to say what it is over there, but I felt uncomfortable to go walk over and telling him what it is. "Can we just go make false trails, somewhere else around here?"

"Sure, I'm almost done." Fiver said.

"I understand, but..." I was trying to say something, but we ended up to gasp over a turtle. Fiver tried to get in close contact with it, but it quickly hides within it's shell.

"Hey it's a turtle." I said.

"A turtle?" Fiver questioned.

"It's amphibian, or a reptile that lives within it's own shell. It hides itself to protect himself from intruders. More than that, maybe _elil_." I told him what a turtle is.

Fiver was curious that he looked through the hole to see the turtle was still hiding. "Oh, excuse me. I'll just... um... go this way." As headed back to regroup, with Hazel and the others, I looked back at the nest to see something was brightly yellow and black. I became paranoid that I ran away from the nest and came back to the group.

"Some work that is." Dandelion said.

"I hope the _Efrafa_ 's appreciate all the trouble it takes to lead them in circles." Hawkbit added.

"Guys... I can we... can we leave please?" I stumbled and slightly fearful.

"What's wrong with you?" Hawkbit asked.

I didn't want them to say what it is and where it's at, but I couldn't help to let them know. "There's a nest over by the boulder." I pointed at the nest with my finger.

"It's probably just a nest for a smaller for a frog." Hazel said.

I shook my head rapidly. "I don't think so."

"Get a move on!" We heard Vervain's voice not far from here, even a bird flew away that alerts us that _Efrafa's_ are close.

"Take cover!" Bigwig ordered us to take cover. We went over near to the same spot where Fiver and I encountered with the turtle... and also close to the nest. As they duck down, I was shivering, as I was only a few feet away from the nest that I couldn't be able to my eyes off of it or even try to move.

"What are you barmy doing, Andrew?! Get down!" Bigwig ordered me to stay low, without being seen. Although they were only a few feet way, but it doesn't mean that they see me, as they were just having their water break.

"I don't... I don't go back there." I shivered quietly.

"Andrew are you alright?" Hazel became concerned that I was facing _The Black Rabbit_.

"I don't want to go over there. Please can we leave." I begged, as I was getting scared.

"You're not afraid of _Efrafans_ finding you here?" Bigwig questioned me.

"No! It's not them I'm afraid, it's... it's the nest." I told him.

Bigwig that was full of fish, as he remained quiet, along with the rest of us. Hazel than had me ducked down next to him, so I remain close if something was to happen to me.

"Just stay next to me, until they're gone." Hazel assured me. I was a bit safe to have a close friend by my side. However, I couldn't help to look back and saw Fiver was laying low on top of the boulder where below it is the nest. I knew if the boulder fell and Fiver reacted to it, he may get stung.

"Fiver! Get off of there! Fiver!" I tried to get his attention, but he couldn't hear me because I was whispering.

"Stay still and be quiet!" Bigwig whispered.

"What's with your ears?" Hazel asked me.

"Fiver's on top of the nest, if the boulder falls, and he reacts to it, he'll get stung." I feared.

"He'll know what to do. Don't worry, he'll be fine." Hazel assured me.

Fiver was still, all the sudden the boulder fell on top of the nest and came out with... a swarm of wasps. Fiver managed to move away from them, and I'm sure he remained still. However, when it got to above us, I was going quietly frantic, when the buzzes were near to my ears. I started to shake, as memories came back to me.

"Don't move." Hazel warned us.

"I can't... I can't stop!" I was shaking.

"Andrew, you have to stop, or they'll get your attention and they might sting you." Hazel warned me. However, I can't stop shaking in fear, because they were close and this time, since I'm a human in a size of a rabbit, they're slighter bigger than I normally would see them small. One of the wasps, flew away from the swarm and flew towards Dandelion. I was on my screaming point that I would freak out in my wits. However, the wasp flew away from Dandelion... but it started to come it's way towards my hand.

My heart started to pump quickly, as the adrenaline is wanting me to scream. It than landed on my back palm of my right hand and the size was nearly bigger than my hand itself. My adrenaline was over to my highest nerve level that I was about to scream, but Hazel than covered my mouth with his paw.

"Don't look at it." Hazel calmly said. "Look away."

"It's on my hand!" I exclaimed, but my mouth was cover from his paw.

"Look at me. Just turn around and look at me." Hazel tried to calm me down and have me look at the other way. I turned to my left to see his brown-hazel eyes and his calm demeanor, as my left hand held tight onto his left paw.

"It's on my hand. Please have it go away! Please!" I was really scared that it's moving around my hand that my hand went into paralysis.

"It'll go away. You just have to be calm, be silent, and be still." Hazel spoke gently, as his right paw rubbed my head and embraced around my neck and continued to rub my upper back, as I was moving my left fingers around his paw, to help me calm my nerves. I continued to look at him the minute, after minute until I felt my right hand was free.

I looked back to see the wasp was gone and it flew away to join back with the swarm. I quickly withdraw my right hand, as I started to rub the palm by my left hand. Still shaking from this traumatic experience, even catching the glimpse of the wasp's face, as a frightful, as ever than looking at the pictures of a magazine or a insect book. I curled over to Hazel, like a five year old child, cuddling over to my parents after I saw a something frightful, as if it was a dream.

" _Efrafans_ are moving out." Bigwig said to Hazel. "We should follow them and we'll never know what we overhear."

"In a cat and mouse game." Tyler said.

"Exactly, by the looks of them, we could probably out run them, if they did find us." Hazel added.

"Not like the wasps." I was still frightened.

Everyone looked at me and seemed a bit concerned, Hazel was the most of all.

"Why were you shaking around like a gull?" Bigwig questioned.

"Enough, Bigwig. He's frightened." Hazel stood up. "Are you feeling better?" he than asked me.

I couldn't be able to give them an honest answer on how I feel. "I just... I just have a thing about certain insects that buzz around my ears."

"It doesn't seem a friendly ones, when we saw them." Hawkbit stated.

"To point out, Dad. They were wasps, and if we moved or overreacted to them, we would have got stung or bitten." Tyler pointed out.

"They're just bees. They can't possibly harm us, one flew by me and they left." Dandelion said.

"That's only because you were not even afraid of them, unlike I am!" I shouted at him and I started to tear up and hid myself on Hazel's fur. Hazel began to pat me on the back.

"Let's give us a few minutes, until he was ready and we'll move out." Hazel told everyone. They all went over by the riverbank to have some water.

"What happened and what makes you be afraid of these... wasps?" Hazel was curious.

"I don't feel really to comfortable to talk about this right now." I said. "Maybe when we're alone."

"No, I'm mean... only you and I. Not everyone present or around us." I removed the tears and cleaned myself up. "I'm ready to finish this and than go home."

"I could have one of us take you back to the warren and you could rest, until I get back." Hazel insisted.

I refused. "No. I just wanted to finish the day and not have anyone ask or tell me about it."

Hazel nodded. "Alright, we're ready." Everyone finished their water break, we followed the tracks, where the _Efrafans_ left their footprints. I continued to shiver, while rubbing my right hand continuously, while Hazel was looking back at me and wondered if I have a certain experience with these insects.

 _To Be Continued..._


	33. Episode 12: Friends and Enemy Part 2

Friends and Enemy Part 2

After our little short break from an incident, we began to follow the _Efrafans_ only to follow them. With the false footprints marked, we had managed to draw them further away from the down. Still, we had to kept ourselves hidden from them, without revealing our location. The wind as gentle, as it blew east away from us. Bigwig managed to smell the wind's air, as it had the _Efrafans_ off track.

"The winds are in our favor, Hazel." Bigwig said. "We can afford to get closer."

We started to move advance towards them, as the _Efrafans_ are smelling out at a certain area and trying to find some _flayrah_. Soon after they left, Hazel went in first only to stay below in the bushes. Ever since we left the sandy riverbank, I was constantly rubbing my right hand and slightly rocking back and forth. Everyone didn't bother to pay attention, but we're all focused on following the _Efrafans_ trail. So I suggested to keep myself quiet.

"Wow! What is it?" Hawkbit followed Hazel and wondered what they saw. We all came to see what Hazel and Hawkbit are seeing. When we went through the bushes, we saw a glasshouse that was surrounded by the small woods.

"It's beautiful." Fiver was amazed.

"It's like the stories, _Prince Rainbow's Gleaming Warren_." Dandelion recalled.

Fiver even went further, than being astonished from house's beauty, he tried to smell if there was _flayrah_. "Fake scent. 'Man'." Fiver revealed the scent.

"It's a greenhouse. Where humans plant their own gardens, rather sometimes not doing it outside." Tyler told everyone.

"Let's watch ourselves." Hazel warned everyone.

"Maybe it's time to go back." Hawkbit wondered.

"We'll let you know when, Hawkbit." Bigwig assured. We than heard a screeching noise that made a shadow above us.

" _Elil_!" Hazel shouted.

"A hawk!" Tyler alerted us. "We need to hide!" We fall back into a deep bush, where we're will hidden from the hawk. It still continued to soar around us.

"Are you sure that's a hawk circling around us or is 'Tony Hawk' trying to do a '900'." I lightly joked.

"Who?" Hazel asked.

"Tony Hawk. The most famous Pro Skater." I answered.

"We don't know who he is."

Tyler chuckled from my joke. "Tony Hawk is one of the well known pro skaters for skateboarding. Andrew's trying to make a joke, about the hawk. Because Tony's last name is hawk and we're seeing a hawk, as well it's encircling us around to see if we would come. Also Tony Hawk was the first skater to do a '900'."

The rest of the rabbits were unsure.

"The joke was that the hawk was circling around us, as it was trying to do a '900' like Tony Hawk did." I clarified.

"Oh." Hazel than chuckled. "Must be a human joke than."

"Well... somewhat though." I said.

"It's alright, you maybe a next clown next to Dad and/or Dandelion." Tyler said.

* * *

We than heard a scream that was not far from us.

"Whose was that?" I asked.

"I don't know, we'll have to wait until the hawk is cleared." Tyler answered.

Hazel and Bigwig came out of hiding, as they saw the hawk was flying away, not far from where we were. "It's gone. Let's see who that was."

We followed Hazel to see a brown rabbit, was badly clawed, scratched, and his fur with ears were roughed up from his fall.

"It's Campion!" I discovered who it was, when I went around the rabbit and recognized his face.

Hazel tried to smell and see if he was conscious. "He's still alive."

"Not many could survive a hawk attack." Dandelion said.

"We need to get him somewhere, for the mean time to get healed up. Good thing I have first aid kit with me." I started to search through my travel pack.

"Campion's in a claws of his own." Bigwig added.

"He won't last long in the open." Hazel stated.

"I agree, we need to get him somewhere, we could recover him." I have my first aid kit ready.

"Fine. One less enemy to worry about." Hawkbit mumbled.

"Dad, he's not a real enemy. Andrew, Primrose, and I seen it through him, also I'm pretty sure for Bigwig too." Tyler reasoned with Hawkbit.

"He's also a fellow rabbit." Fiver agreed with Tyler with another reason to help Campion.

Dandelion started to smell. "Smell that. _Flayrah_. Lots of it!" he smelled the fresh greens that were planted in the greenhouse.

"Dandelion, don't forget, humans ended having to garden in and who knows what they put in there." I reminded Dandelion.

"We can't leave him here or anywhere outside, because his wounds may attract _elil_." Hazel stated. "We'll have to get him inside, before the hawk would come back again."

"He's Woundwart's captain of _Owsla_! He's _Efrafa_!" Hawkbit rejects. "He's out to destroy us Hazel!"

I looked at Campion's state and he was moaning in pain. I try to have him rest, as he than closed his eyes and passed out.

"Look! What if he was someone important to you? Or to think of it, what if it was your son in worst shape like this?" I shouted at Hawkbit.

Hawkbit gasped and looked at Tyler and picture if it was him wounded by a hawk.

"Andrew's right. If I see you like this, I would have helped you." Tyler said.

"Also for example, Kehaar became our friend and ally because we helped him." Fiver added.

Hawkbit sighed. "I suppose you're right."

I nodded and I picked up Campion and tried to walk him to the greenhouse. However, he's stronger than I'm and hardly moved a inch. Hazel than came to our side and help me to carry Campion inside the greenhouse, as everyone follows. As soon as we got into the greenhouse, there was a houseful of fresh plants.

"Maybe some of these food could help replenish Campion." I said, as I set him down and started to grab some equipment from the first aid kit and started cleaning his wounds, before they could go infected.

"By _Frith_ , this is really something." Dandelion was amazed to see all the fresh _flayrah_ all around us.

"It's another world." Fiver too was amazed, as most of them think we have left Earth and entered the next. Even I saw Bigwig was sniffing at the smell.

"I love the smell of _Flayrah_ in the afternoon." Bigwig stated.

"Get over it." I smirked, before I went back to apply some antibiotics gently.

"Are those the same herbs, you helped me?" Hazel asked.

"Yes, more of medicine to put." I answered.

"Oh, you've got to try this... I never tasted anything quite like it." Hawkbit took a bite from a giant leaf and he tasted the deliciousness of the _flayrah_.

Dandelion than took a bite also from another leaf. "Oh yes!" He spoke while he still have his bite in his mouth. "This is delicious! Hazel... hmmm... you got to try this."

"There's so much new in here. It' also strange." Fiver said. "I don't know to be worried or not."

"Eat now, worry later." Hawkbit assured Fiver, as he went back to eating.

While I was cleaning Campion's, I saw Hazel was doing the same thing... but with his tongue. I couldn't help to shake my head.

"You know, Hazel?" I got his attention. "Does it ever occur to you that everyone kisses and/or licks their wound?"

"We all have done that through our lives." Hazel said.

Although I could disagree on how he does with his own wound back during the raid of the farm, of getting Clover and Tyler out. I may have to just let it go and accept.

"Well... I guess by now... I don't see why not." I timidly accepted their ways, as I was still trying to help with mine. So either way, we'll have ways to take of care of someone else's and/or our own wounds. I even started to hear my echo as I spoke a little loud.

"Wow." I exclaimed and it echoed. "Wow!" it echoed again.

"Are you alright?" Hazel asked.

I made a loud buzzing sound that it also echoed. It was almost like a grand room. "Why don't you try making some noise?"

"I beg your pardon?" Hazel questioned.

"Just a silly noise or just a random noise." I told him.

Hazel cleared his throat. "Helllloooo!" Hazel's voice echos.

"Oh come on that was nothing, it was like back when we discovered the tunnels in our warren. Something thrilling or exciting." I encouraged him to go beyond.

Hazel cleared his throat once again. "Wooooo-Hoooo!" he shouted and his echo was louder.

"Wow... nice." I complimented.

"Thank you."

"Bigwig, you want to try this?" I offered.

"Are you serious?" Bigwig was stern.

"Come on, just anything comes out on the top of your head." I encouraged him.

Bigwig shook his head. "Booooo!" His voice echos.

"Very nice." I said, as Bigwig shook his head, as he smirked. "You guys want to join us?" I encouraged everyone. Hawkbit, Dandelion, Fiver, and Tyler agreed. "Just make a weird noise or something that would echo this room."

We all cleared our throats and started to go out with our funniest noises to make a unison echo. I thought it was hilarious for all us to make a great series of echoes, as Dandelion made a 'la la' noise. I looked at Tyler and he was doing the "Do Ra Me" music sounds and it was even louder than Hazel's. It ended with Hazel's and Bigwig's echo. We all had to make a big laugh out of it, because the greenhouse echoed throughout, as we found it funny, before we all got back on what we were doing.

* * *

Like hours later, the sun began to set. Hazel and I just finished cleaning Campion's wounds and the next thing to do for him was to let him rest.

"It's going to be dark soon. You'd all better get home." Hazel said told Bigwig.

"What about you?" Bigwig asked.

"I'll stay with Campion. No point in all of us getting captured if the patrol returns." Hazel insisted.

"I don't like it here Hazel." Fiver began to fear. "There's something alien about it all." Fiver slightly shivered, as his ears dropped. "Something else, cold, and watchful."

"It won't be long, little brother. Only until, Campion could fend himself, now go." Hazel assured Fiver with a nuzzle and told everyone to leave.

"Alright than you heard Hazel! Let's get a move on!" Bigwig ordered all of us to leave. However, he spotted Dandelion and Hawkbit still eating the _flayrah_. Bigwig than started to clear his throat to get them moving, Dandelion grabbed his last bite of the leaf, as Hawkbit was still going at it. Before Bigwig could tell Hawkbit, Tyler went to his father.

"We have to go." Tyler told Hawkbit.

"Just one more bite." Hawkbit favored the taste of the leaf. Bigwig than cleared his voice again. This time Hawkbit stopped, as he looked at Tyler. "Alright." He than gave some to Tyler, before grabbing his last bite, as they started to head their way out.

"Fiver's right. There is something wrong with this place." Bigwig looked around for the last bit, as he talked to Hazel.

"Bigwig." I said.

"What is it?" he asked.

"If you don't mind with your permission, can I stay back with Hazel for tonight?" I asked to stay back.

"He'll be fine until the morning and we'll get him back." Bigwig assured.

"That's alright, Bigwig. If he wanted to stay back, let him." Hazel told Bigwig.

"Very will than." Bigwig accepted. "Watch yourselves, chums."

Bigwig and the rest of the _Owsla_ started their journey back to the warren, as I stayed behind with Hazel and Campion. I set my travel pack down and sat next to Hazel.

"Alright, now we're alone. What happened?" Hazel remembered that when we're alone, it was the best time to tell him what happened this late morning.

I lifted my right hand, as I could still picture the wasp still on my hand. "I really have a huge fear regarding to wasps, since I could remember."

"Your Autism has something to deal with it?" he asked.

"In regards to that, I do have sensitive ears, if something buzzes around, or hear loud clangs or bang, it disturbed me that I sometimes raise my hand to my ear." I explained.

Hazel nodded his head, as he continues to listen.

"Now about the wasps, I remember one day when I was only nine or ten years old I believe. My father drove me and my cousin Thomas to my older brother's soccer game. As we got there, we exited out of the car and headed towards where they played. Without having any idea, as we were just walking, right below us were nests of black wasps, below us, or it maybe hornets, I'm not too sure, but I remember seeing them nearly all black."

"Did they came out and try to sting you and your family?" he asked.

"I know I did without a doubt, because I am really afraid of them. My dad got most of them off of me, as I continued to run very quickly and further way, until I got towards the soccer game. My cousin just stood there and watched us swarm, as he didn't got stung at all." I finished my short story.

Hazel couldn't help, but feel terrified about my experience. "Is that why you're afraid of them?"

"That's the reason why I don't like and very afraid of insects that sting and/or bite; mostly wasps, yellow-jackets, and hornets. I began to be more tolerant to bees now it days, except them buzzing around me of course." I answered.

"You know you shouldn't have to worry about them, unless you bother them." Hazel told me.

"It's hard to be still for someone like to be still and I become very frigid with them. Even when I see pictures of them on pesticides, I become shaky when I seen their faces. Or even having nests outside that I would rather be inside than going out where they're so much of wasp activity." I went on.

Hazel than placed his paw on my shoulder and I couldn't help to clang onto it, as I'm someone whose very close and who really cares about how I feel. "If I didn't have this experience, I probably wouldn't have to worry about it or even thinking about it."

"I know, Andrew. I know." Hazel than gave me a hug that my nerves cleared out, as if I was holding to my favorite stuffed monkey at night.

* * *

As the night came, as I decided to let Hazel sleep a bit, after our chat. I was lying next to him, as I was watching a movie on my DVD player.

 _Don't worry. You can trust me, your secret is safe with me. Michelle assured Lisa._

 _Johnny than enters the apartment to see the two ladies clanged their wine glasses._

 _"Hello Michelle. I heard you. What secret?" Johnny greeted and asked._

 _"It's between us, women." Lisa told him._

 _"Hi Johnny." Michelle greeted._

 _"Did you get a new dress?" Johnny asked Lisa._

 _"Ummm... well I guess I better be going. I'll just talk to you guys later." Michelle said, as she started to leave for the door. Before she leave, she looked back at Lisa. "Lisa, remember what I told you."_

 _Lisa looked at her, before looking away. Michelle did her wave of goodbye and left._

 _"What's she talking about?" Johnny asked._

Hazel than woke up and yawned. "Anything on Campion?"

"His wounds are getting healed, but he's still unconscious though." I answered.

"What are you watching?" he asked.

"The very worst movie that anyone could ever watch, but hilariously funny. Called _The Room_." I told him.

" _The Room_?" Hazel was puzzled.

I chuckled. "It doesn't really have much of a story, except it's a triangle love, comedy-drama story." We than continued to watch. I than saw a spoon art, if only if I have spoons, I would tossed it all over the place, but it would probably freak Hazel out.

 _"I never hit you. You shouldn't have secrets from me." Johnny told Lisa, as he tossed his dress coat on the couch. "I'm your future husband."_

 _"You sure about that?" Lisa questions, as she set down her wine cup. "Maybe I should change my mind."_

 _"Don't talk like that." Johnny said. "What do you mean?"_

 _"What do you think?! Women changed their minds all the time." Lisa stated._

I decided to follow along the quotes for this certain part of the movie. _"Ha, ha. You must kidding aren't you?"_

My voice changed to Lisa's _"Look I don't want talk about it. I'm go upstairs, wash up and go to bed."_

 _"How dare you talk me like that?! You should tell me everything!" Johnny exclaimed, as he pushed Lisa back to the couch._ Hazel was more confused as ever, even his eyes went wide, while I laughed at the movie and continued to impersonate, while quoting.

 _"I can't talk right now." Lisa said._

 _"Why Lisa, just talk to me... please!" Johnny got down and begged, as she turned away. "You're part of my life, you're everything. I cannot go without you Lisa!"_

I continued to laugh, before going back. _"You're scarring me."_

 _"You're lying, I never hit you. You're tearing me apart, Lisa!"_ _Johnny shouted, as the two stand up._ I couldn't help, but laugh, as Hazel looked at me as I was mad.

 _"Why are you so hysertical?!" Lisa shouted._

 _"Do you understand life?! Do you?!" Johnny questioned, as she pushed her again to the couch and he got back down._

"I don't understand this movie at all." Hazel said.

"It's alright. The movie is full of fish, but it's really funny laugh at. That's why I think it's funny. Hazel closed his eyes, smiled and shook his head, before the both of us continued to watch the hilarious worst movie ever, as I continued to laugh.

 _To Be Continued..._


	34. Episode 12: Friends and Enemy Part 3

Friends and Enemy Part 3

While I was still watching the movie, Hazel fall asleep. During the movie I was watching, _The Room_ , the scene showed the Johnny and his friends wearing tuxedos and playing football, until Peter the psychologist made his failed fall. I than heard a screech sound that came from above.

"Bad place to be night times." the red and blue, macaw parrot spoke.

"Hazel?"

He started to wake up, as he rubbed his eyes and scratched his ears. "Are you needing to sleep, while I keep watch?"

"No, but those parrots are trying to speak to us." I told Hazel.

Hazel looked up to see two different macaw parrots are on a tree. "Uh... hello?"

The green and yellow macaw parrot screeched. "Hello. Night times are bad enough up here."

"Night times are very bad down here." the red and blue parrot spoke again.

"Why?" Hazel asked. "What's down here?"

We than heard a door open and approaching us was a man tending the greenhouse. As he was towards our direction, Hazel and I moved the still unconscious Campion, who suffered injures from a hawk attack. We watched the man than poured, what it looks like bird seeds for the parrots. We than watched the man headed out towards the door. However, it than occurred to us that the door was opened, when we came in. Hazel and I hurried towards the door, but the man than closes the door, locking us in. Hazel gave a try to open the door, but it wouldn't open because it was locked.

"You're wasting energy, the door is locked." I sadly stated.

"Wonderful." Hazel was disappointed.

The red and blue parrot chuckled. "Man not like you here. Oh no."

We than headed our way back towards the parrots, as the same parrot went on. "Should have left while you could, oh yes."

"Hide good now, furry long ear." the green and yellow parrot spoke.

"You know, I'm a human and I respected the rabbits, like Hazel and his fellow rabbits." I rebuttal the red and blue parrot, as his reaction was... nothing. "Besides from what?"

"What else is in here?" Hazel asked.

"Ark. Slither thing." the green and yellow parrot got close to Hazel's face.

"What's a 'slither' thing?" Hazel questions the parrots.

I figured out what the 'slither' thing is. "Hazel... they mean snakes."

"Yes. She hide quietly and wait." the red and blue parrot revealed.

"She kill all animal and small humans, who live on ground." the green and yellow parrot added.

"You'll see." the red and blue parrot said, as he laughed and flapped his wings.

"And we'll watch, you see." the green and yellow parrot said, before they flapped their wings, as they fly back to their tree while laughing like Statler and Waldof. I gulped, as a snake lingers around us, while began to slightly worry to find a way out of this. Especially, for Campion to recover sooner or later.

We headed back towards Campion and he still remain unconscious. I went over to check his pulse only to see he's breathing.

"He's alright, but he's still unconscious since we came in here." I told Hazel.

"I wish you wake up Campion. We're awfully alone all the sudden." Hazel feared and hoped for Campion to wake up.

"Don't worry, he's been asleep since he went unconscious in the late afternoon and he's pretty much been out for a few hours. He outta bound to wake up any time soon." I said.

 _You betray me! You no good. You're just a chicken. Cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep._ _Johnny engaged a fight between him and his best friend Mark, during Johnny's own surprise birthday. Johnny and Mark made a bad grab and struggle, which it was a poor fight._

 _It's over! It's over! assuming to be a co-worker for Johnny broke up the fight, along with their friends help._

 _It's not over! Everyone betrayed me! I'm fed up with this world!" Johnny shouted, before heading upstairs to his room._

"How come you could handle this... 'terrible movie'?" Hazel asked me.

"It's funny. It gets me to laugh from their bad acting, which is their comedy." I answered.

Hazel continued to watch me laugh when Johnny was being too dramatic with Lisa, as she breaks up with him.

"You should fly up here. Oh yes." the red and blue macaw parrot suggested a dumbfounded idea. I turned off my DVD player and put it away.

"For the fact that you should know is that we don't have wings. Meaning we cannot fly!" I said to the parrots.

The green and yellow macaw parrot laughed. "Flap your ears, long ears. And you human, flap your hands. They might work." It continued to laugh, as I shook my head. I than turned around to see Campion was starting to wake up.

"Hazel, Campion's waking up!" I signaled Hazel. He came over to me, as he was waking up. "I told you, he'll wake up sooner or later."

When Campion was fully awake, he gasped, possibly as his vision was blurry while he was waking up. "Hazel... and Andrew?! What happened?"

"The hawk nearly got you. Your patrol left you for dead." Hazel answered. "You needed help."

Campion sighed. "Good ol' Vervain. Solid as a marsh that one."

"He's probably is a overused cliche on running away like a coward, like in certain movie characters." I joked.

Campion than looked at me confused.

"We all know what we meant about Vervain." Hazel explains and wanted to drop what said about movie characters, as Campion doesn't understand what 'movie' is.

"And you two just happened by to save me, eh?" Campion questioned us.

"You were hurt, if we didn't help you... you probably be gone, like every other being on Earth." I answered.

Campion managed to get up on his feet, without having a single pain or sore from his injuries. "I suppose your warren is nearby than."

"Let's not play war games, Campion. We're stick in here and there's something in there with us." Hazel wanted to exclude conflict in this time and situation.

"What?! _Elil_?" Campion looked around.

Hazel looked at me, rather than looking at the parrots.

"According to the laid-back parrots, there's a snake among us in this greenhouse." I answered for Hazel.

"Oh, that doesn't sound good." Campion said. "A truce than, until we get out?"

"Agreed." Hazel said.

"Me too." I added.

"Now rest, the two of us will keep watch." Hazel said to Campion, before he looked back at me.

* * *

"You think you'll be alright to look after him, as I get _flayrah_ for him?" Hazel asked me.

"I'll be fine." I answered. Hazel smiled and nodded, as he hopped away to find some food for Campion. I continued to watch him, until Campion got my attention.

"So... you're a human?" Campion asked me. As if I got used to that question that, as if nearly all the rabbits asked me that same question.

"You don't see another rabbit, right?" I questioned.

He chuckled. "I suppose you're right."

"Are you doing alright?" I asked.

Campion raised his ears tall. "Besides I'm feeling a little better, why do you ask?"

"I just thought because you were hurt and you are not like Woundwart and/or Vervain." I explained.

"However, I'm still part of the _Efrafa_ and my _Owsla_." he said.

"True, but set that aside. Let's just have a conversation, as we're getting to know each other." I said.

"Very well than. Why are you here?" he asked.

"From staying with Hazel and the rabbits, or being stuck here in your guys' world?" I asked.

"What difference does it make?" Campion questioned.

"Because I wasn't meant to be here, as I suppose to be back home. However, after a long story accident, I ended myself here." I answered.

"What happened?"

I went over to him, at first I was uncomfortable sitting next him. Not from his persona, but just meeting a stranger or someone I was getting started to be acquainted. When I looked at his eyes, I started to remember how he treated other rabbits in _Efrafa_ , while I was there. I decided to gain his trust and I sat next him.

"Well... I was with a friend from work that we traveled together to United Kingdom with a tour group. However, we got ourselves lost because I was amazed and wanted to be adventurous. We than split up to find our tour group, only to go off the path during my search, until I got bonked on the head by a falling branch and here I am." I told him how I got here.

"And that's where you met Hazel and the others?" Campion guessed.

"Yes, but it wasn't the best situation, as they were in a mess on their own. Just trying to find what it's called home." I continued.

He than saw a strange item that ends up happening to be my bracelet. "What's that you're wearing? Around your arm." he than asked about my bracelet.

I didn't want to take it off, but I reveled what it was. "It's my medical alert bracelet. I had it long since I could remember." Campion continued to look at it. "You see, I have high functioning Autism. It's a neurological mental disorder that affects on my communication to others, as well forming relationships with others. It also goes around with routines and rituals that I do everyday."

Campion was deeply listened, as I went further with my disability, as well as hobbies that do to keep myself going over the edge, when I'm upset, such as movies.

"So you mentioned about Vervain, as a 'movie' character. What kind is he?" Campion said.

I began to think and couldn't think a certain movie character, because there's many. "I don't know. Only for certain ones that cowards away, as that character is afraid of something."

Campion chuckled with a light smile. "That's Vervain alright."

We than saw Hazel came back with some _flayrah_ and set them next to him. "You should eat now, you must be hungry." I said, as I stand up and went next to Hazel.

"You know... I've been wondering why you two risk your lives for an enemy." Campion wondered.

"Just eat. Get your strength back." Hazel insisted.

"Would you?" I than asked, after he took a gulp from eating the _flayrah_. He began to think, until his head went down. "Tough question."

He than nodded, as he lifted his head. "Is... is Primrose well?" he asked.

"Yes and happy." Hazel answered.

"Oh. Well that's good." Campion was relieved, as he began to think about Primrose. "I'm glad."

"Why do you ask that? We knew from what she told us that you're different and what I told you." I asked.

"Or worse anyway." he added.

"You can't like the way Woundwart rules, can you?" Hazel questions.

Campion became distraught on when we asked him sensitive questions. "Oh, look we're just getting along, don't spoil it."

"He's leading _Efrafa_ down a dark trail, and you know it."

"He wasn't always this way." Campion said.

"You mean, he was he... different before he went belligerent?" I wondered.

"Yes."

"Blind loyalty is a fool's choice." Hazel stated.

"Wait a minute, Hazel." I began to try to reason with Hazel. "What was he before?" I than asked Campion again.

"To start off he's been like this, but before he came, _Efrafa_ was starving, fallen apart. He made us great again!" Campion exclaimed.

"Like Trump's campaign: _Make America Great Again_?" I questioned.

"Who?" Campion questioned as I was going off topic.

I shook my head. "Never mind, forget what I just said."

"Besides, no one else could have saved us." he went on. I started to hear a rustle from the plants and bushes.

"Maybe not, but whose going to save _Efrafa_ , from Woundwart?" Hazel asked.

We than heard the rustle again. "Guys?"

Hazel and Campion gasped and listened for the rustle. "Forget about having a conversation about politics. Let's try to start finding our way out of here, before the snake finds us."

All the sudden, a snake came out of nowhere, as it slithered down a tree and spotted us. It than slithered it's way down to our level on the ground.

"A snake, why does it have to be a snake?" I questioned, why quoting Indiana Jones, from his fear of snakes.

"Can... you... run?" Hazel shivered, at least he wasn't Dr. Jones.

" _El-ahrairah_ couldn't catch me." Campion boldly stated.

"In that case, I think we're on our own, until the snake is way." I slightly shivered with a light joke. The snake than got near to us and was ready to have it's three course dinner.

"Go!" Hazel whispered. The three of us dodged the snake's fangs. We than hurried our way to the plants and ran/hop through the enchanted small forest. I than looked behind us and seen no sign of the snake pursuing us.

"I think we lost it." I told Hazel and Campion. We than hopped from the plants, as we were heading to what it seemed to be open to the outside. Until I realized that it was a window.

"Hazel, wait! That is not-" Before I could try to stop him. His head impacted on the window and it pushed him to the ground. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." he assured me.

"I tried to tell you it's only a window." I added.

"I guess I didn't get your message in time." Hazel rubbed his face with his paw, as Campion came behind us.

"In _Frith's_ name, what was that thing?!" Campion questions.

"I told you, it was a snake!" I exclaimed, as I told him what it than heard the parrots laughing and mocking us from above.

"Slither thing!" the red and blue parrot spoke, before the green and yellow parrot laughed also.

"It find you. It taste your feet, it gets you! Oh yes." the parrot began to laugh once more.

Hazel and I were getting fed up from hearing the parrots laughing at us, while we're getting chased by a snake. "Why don't you shut your beaks!"

The parrots laugh stops and looked at each other.

"You ever shut your beak?" the red and blue parrot asked his fellow parrot.

"No, have you ever shut your beak?" They continued to ask the same question on and on and on and on forever! That was when I just had enough of them.

"He means shut up! Shut up! SHUT... UP!" I angrily blasted at the parrots and they went dead silent. "Thank you."

"Thank you Andrew." Hazel thanked me.

"Anytime." I replied back.

"Any ideas on how we get out?" Hazel asked both of us.

"I don't even know why, you both dragged me in the first place." Campion said.

"It seemed clever at the time." Hazel added.

Campion went off to find a way out, as Hazel and I were left to figure a way out also.

"Any ideas yet?" I asked.

He than spotted some dirt that he began to wonder, as he got close to it and started to dig up, until he couldn't be able to dig more. "There's no way under."

"Because it's entirely built around cement or pavement." I said, as Campion came back to us and found no other way out either. He than started stand tall, as a guard, as he began to listen.

"Something wrong, Campion?" I asked. He remain silent, as he started to hear something that I couldn't be able to listen and while Hazel's trying to dig once more to find another path underneath.

"It's here." Campion said.

"What's here?" Hazel asked.

"The snake." I answered.

We heard rustles again and it came out. Hazel barely missed it's fang, until he was hypnotized from the snake's eyes. I knew if he was stuck in hypothesis, he wouldn't be able to move or be awake. I hurried over, as Campion shouted for him. I managed to get to Hazel, before the snake got him, as I tackled Hazel to the ground and I started to shake him, until he became aware once again.

"Oh thank goodness." I said. Campion caught up with us and we started to run from the snake, until we lost it again, before it started pursue us once again on and on until the morning came.

* * *

After our third time getting chased, the sun began to dawn. The three of us started to get exhausted from running.

"We can't keep running Hazel." Campion told Hazel.

"We can't fight the snake either." Hazel added.

"Unless we ask the parrots if there's a way out." I suggested.

Hazel and Campion thought that I was completely out of my mind. However, by explaining to them, because we have no other alternatives to keep running or daring ourselves to fight the snake. They decided to give it a try, but have me do the talking.

"Parrots, where are you?" I shouted for them.

"Oh, you three last all night!" the red and blue parrot was unexpected of the three of us to survive the whole night.

"Arrk, pretty smart for furry things." the green and yellow parrot added.

"Look, is there a way out of the greenhouse?" I asked them.

"Sure, we go out once, oh yes." the red and blue parrot answered.

"But we come back, too cold out. Slither thing hate cold too." the green and yellow parrot said.

"I don't believe they ever got out." Campion didn't believe what the parrots are saying. "They are fibbing."

"If you do, are you willing to show us?" I asked them.

"We show you, small man." the red and blue parrot spoke. They flew, as the three of us followed the parrots. We than found the parrots and showed us a broken window, where it is covered with a cloth bag that is probably filled with bird seeds.

"Is this a way out?" I asked.

"We go out there. Smart, oh yes" the red and blue parrot answered, before they flew away elsewhere, while I thanked them. Hazel got by the cloth bag and he started to pull towards him, but the bag was too heavy to pull.

"It's parked hard as a burrow floor." Hazel said.

"We could try to pull it together the three of us." Campion suggested.

"Good idea." I agreed. The three of us grabbed a corner of the bag. "Ready, three, two, one!" We than used our strength to pull the bag towards us and got us nowhere a inch to pull it. We than tried again, until the bag just ripped itself from their mouths and my hands, that pulled us to the floor.

"Well pulling is out." I said.

"We have to leave before the snake comes back." Hazel said.

"Hazel! Andrew!" we heard Fiver's and Tyler's voice, as they came around the corner with Bigwig and the rest of the _Owsla_. Fiver and Tyler came to the window and saw the three of us trying to get out.

"Help us! Hurry!" Hazel shouted.

Bigwig, Hawkbit, and Tyler tried to give their shot to pull, but not a single inch like before. I came up with an idea that it was desperate, but it'll have to work. I walked further back, as I continued to watch them pull, until I have enough distance to break through the glass. I than heard a hiss from behind me.

"You got be kidding me." I said, as I looked back to see the snake was slithering it's way towards me from the plants. I than looked back and started my way towards the glass, while having my travel pack full, in front of me.

"Get out of way!" I shouted while running. I tried to keep my face shielded from the glass. When I got close, I decided to make a dive, than I heard glass break and I landed on the grass with my head buried on the travel pack. "Ow." I got up and looked behind me to see the window broke and the size was enough for Hazel and Campion to get out.

"The monster!" Fiver shouted. The two looked back to see the snake was near.

"Come on, it's the only way!" I shouted, as I headed towards them. Hazel and Campion were unsure, until they could hop over the bag. Campion hopped first, before Hazel could and successfully they're outside. We moved away from the greenhouse, as the snake tries to adventure itself out. Due to the snake's nature of liking tropical climate, like in the greenhouse, it went back to it's lair.

We than went over to Hazel, as he was gasping from the experience the three of us have with that snake. "The cold... those birds said the snake didn't like the cold."

"At least we didn't have the fear of snakes, like Dr. Jones." I said.

"You mean, Ophidiophobia." Tyler said the full term of fear of snakes.

"Yeah." I said.

We than saw Kehaar flying towards us from above. "Ugly Vervain coming around, you hiding or fighting?!"

After that statement, I realized the temporary truce has come to an end. I wasn't really looking forward to a fighting Campion, after helping him.

"We got out. Truce is over." Hazel stated.

"Oh come on, can we have peace and love for a change." I moaned.

"Sorry, lad. All good things sometimes have to come to an end." Campion said. "However, I'm too tired to fight today."

"Well, I could say one more thing to do to get yourself better." I decided to give him a last piece of advice.

"What's that?" Campion asked.

"To rest. Just rest and you'll be a tip-top shape on the next day or even sooner." I answered.

Campion smiled. "Thank you. I'll take your advice."

"I'm not!" Bigwig stepped in and was ready to fight.

Surprising him, I had to shield Campion. "Look, we came out of a bad situation from last night. There's no need to fight for today, they'll be another day for a fight, unless we solve this issue together for the better future."

Bigwig thought of this and understand my point, before he hopped away to join the rest of us. I than came back to Hazel's side.

"I don't know why you did that." Campion was shocked.

"I've been taught to love your neighbors: friend and foe." I remembered my Christian teachings from _The Bible_ that we have to love one another, as we love God.

"Campion, you didn't answer my question from before... who'd save _Efrafa_ from Woundwart?" Hazel asked.

Campion knows that he wanted to give Hazel the answer, but he couldn't be able to answer the question. As I don't like at certain times, to be asked many questions. "You ask too many questions, Hazel."

We took it, as he refused to answer. Hazel and I headed our way, but I stopped to look back at Campion for the last time.

"It's not personal, Campion. It's strictly business." I quoted to him from _The Godfather_ by Michael Corleone.

Campion nodded his head, before I went to catch up with Hazel by the bushes. We watched him having a reunion with _Efrafa_ patrol, as Vervain was shocked into disappointment, as it seems to want Campion dead. We than began our way back to meet our _Owsla_.

"Before we go any further, why did you protect him from Bigwig?" Hazel stopped and asked me.

"Can you remember that we helped him to recover. We suppose to treat him, as a guest during the truce. Also, loving our enemies. I'm sure your stories taught you guys about loving your enemies, or to say from Fiver, a fellow rabbit." I explained my answer.

We both knew that Campion was the enemy, but Hazel seemed to understand that I have heart, despite of Campion being from _Efrafa_.

"You have a big heart. You do." Hazel commented. "You see Campion, as just a fellow rabbit."

"It's not easy to love your enemies where I come from, but it seems like it's easier to do it here than where I came from." I added.

Hazel patted and rubbed my head. "You're a good man, Andrew. But I have to warn you to be careful."

"I will." I smiled.

Hazel cleared his throat. "It seems to me... that you're an expert, Mark." he tries to pull off a quote, with the impersonation as Johnny from _The Room_.

I laughed hard, as he did it well, but not as close though. "That was a good one!" We both shared a laugh.

"If you don't mind to ask me, why do you watch it because it's bad." he than asked.

I chuckled and shake my head. "It's funny to watch a bad movie, despite of it being funny. As it seems."

"Well, we have a long story to share, when we get home." Hazel said.

"Hazel there's one more thing to say too..."

"What is it?" he asked.

"I really appreciate the talk we had, regarding to the wasps. It really means something to me, as I don't get that much." I thanked him.

Hazel smiled. "Anytime." We both shared a embracing hug and continued to catch up with Bigwig and the _Owsla_ , as we journeyed back to Watership Down.

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's note: Coming soon... Watership Down's Season 1 finale! As one rabbit gets kidnapped, so does two souls that live in Watership Down are taken! Find out who gets taken in the next episode! Stay Tuned!


	35. Season 1 Finale: Kidnapped Part 1

Kidnapped Part 1

I woke up early in the morning to hear sounds that was coming from outside. I got up and dressed, before leaving the burrow, without leaving my phone and my travel bag. I still hear snores of sleeping rabbits, while I was walking through the tunnels. When I got towards the warren's entrance, the drops of rain pour down outside.

 _Well a good rain won't hurt anybody._ I said to myself. Luckily, I was wearing my hooded rain coat sweater and I had my hat set on my head, before going out. Going for a walk around the warren, was more of a habit now a days, while we're still at high alert because of the _Efrafa_ patrol. I went down hill from the down and I started to make my normal day walk like any other. I put on some music on my phone, while listening and feeling rain drops, as I went further than my normal routes, that is going around the downhill of the down to circle around and follow the brook from the warren's secret entrance.

 _Say that you love me, even if it's not true._  
 _And say that this storm is just passing through._  
 _And, baby, tell me you're not leaving._  
 _It's just the rainy season._

 _The air's getting heavy and we both know why._  
 _So dance one more dance and tell one more lie._  
 _And, baby, let's keep make believing_  
 _That it's just the rainy season._

 _We're taking on water._  
 _And drop after drop we're destroying this house_  
 _And each other._  
 _So make it stop._  
 _Make it stop._

 _We're taking on water._  
 _Yeah, drop after drop we're destroying this house_  
 _And each other, yeah._  
 _Please, make it stop._

 _Wish I could just say and words were enough_  
 _To keep you from being the one giving up._  
 _Like the sky letting go for no reason_  
 _Yeah, in the rainy season._  
 _Baby tell me, you're not leaving._  
 _It's just the rainy season._  
 _It's just the rainy season._

 _It's just the rain_  
 _Yeah, it's just the rain._

 _It's just the rainy season._

When I finished hearing the song, I decided to turn off the music and continue to listen to the rain. Seeing a small ravine just ahead, I thought it would be nice to have a light breakfast of carrots that I obtained from a raid at the farm. The watery raindrops that drip on the carrot added the taste of sweet carrot water, as I took a bite from it and chewed. I sat down by the ravine to see no other creatures in sight, until I saw what it appears to be two orange peaked crows were sitting on a branch. Probably looking for a meal of some sort, however I remain on watch on their move, as they noticed me, and oppose no threat.

Than out of no where, I started to hear a shout of command that was familiar to Vervain's voice. I slid through the ravine and hid myself in between the rocks and boulders. I watched to see it was Vervain and his patrol going around the woods, in effort to find Watership Down to capture all of us. As I watched, I than started to hear the crows making it's "caw caw" sounds that made Vervain and the patrol _Owsla_ on full alert.

"Come on! Move! Move!" He ruthlessly ordered his fellow rabbits to continue on. I than saw a mixed light and dark gray rabbit, who looks tiresome and exhausted, from patrolling and also I noticed he was a bit light weight. They continued to walk past the ravine, until Vervain started to smell and he was heading towards my direction.

"Stay away from here." I whisper silently, as I grabbed my switchblade and I wasn't afraid to give Vervain a take-down he deserves. Before he could get anywhere close, I than heard a scream that came from Kehaar flying around. I didn't think that Hazel and/or the _Owsla_ started to do a search for me, but it looks like Kehaar was trying to push the enemy away from here.

"Go away stinky enemy! You never find our warren!" Kehaar shouted at the _Efrafa_ rabbits. "Never!"

Kehaar than flew away, but it did little affect of Vervain of giving up the search of our warren. However, it did prevent Vervain finding me, as he got sidetracked from Kehaar's surprise attack.

"Sir, maybe we should follow his line of flight. He might lead us to the alien warren." the new _Owsla_ rabbit, that I remember seeing before, suggested. I gasped, as I realized that rabbit may be clever than before that could foil our previous attempts to have them lose their trail of finding us.

"Idiot. You think we haven't tried?! He's too sly to make a mistake like that." Vervain stated. I was relieved that he didn't go by the new rabbit's plan or that could be an early end of Watership Down. "Now, move out!"

Vervain ordered his rabbits to leave the area. A lightening storm sounded off, as the rain began to pour harder than before. I watched the rabbits leave, until I saw the same rabbit, who was exhausted and hungry, felt too weak to move on and he collapsed upon the mud. He began to shiver, as death is waiting to take him. My heart started feel shaky, as he was near death that I wanted to help him.

"Captain Vervain!" the new rabbit shouted. "It's Lush, he's sick sir. I don't think he could go any further."

I was waiting to see if they would help him, but due to Vervain's nature. He would probably leave him, as a weak link to rot away while the strong thrive. Vervain blankly stared at the sick rabbit, as the rabbit was too numb to cry for help from his captain.

"Than leave him." Vervain told the new rabbit. I started to shake my head in disappointment and outrage that Vervain would leave one of his soldiers to die on his own.

"You dog." I angrily whispered, Normally for a soldier on the line, who needs help, no one gets left behind. I watched as the new rabbit looks back at Lush, before the new rabbit hurried off to joined back with the patrol.

"Come back! Come back!" I begged silently to come back and pick up his fellow rabbit.

The crows began making noises louder, as they flew off the tree and started to circle around the sick rabbit. My heart was telling me to get him, before he was the crows' meal. I came out of hiding to see the _Efrafa_ patrol are gone. I hurried over to the rabbit, as the crows started fly lower. I picked up some rocks and started throwing at the crows, while shouting at them to find their another meal. After throwing enough rocks, the crows left and flew away. Quickly, I searched through my travel pack to find a blanket that could cover for the walk, as well having a cabbage leaf and a travel pack water bottle, that I used now that my bottles of water are gone; I started to use it from the brook to drink some water. After zipping up my travel back, I patiently gave the cabbage leaf to the rabbit. He was relieved, but too tired to feel joy of having food. He hurried on eating the cabbage leaf, before I gave him some water to drink.

"I need to get you out of here. But I need your help, you have to stand." I told the rabbit that I'm here, but I couldn't be able to walk him alone.

He was making some purring sounds, as he's too weak to respond. I can't be able to carry him, as the journey back would take longer. However, I have no other choice, but to walk him back to down. I lifted him up and we started to walk back from the same path that I took, from my morning walk.

* * *

It took about a few minutes to get where I was going, until I spotted the same peach tree that resides at the down. As I kept pressing on with Lush as I walked him, Kehaar was flying around by me towards the down. An idea realized that I could have his help to have the rabbits prepare a burrow for the weak rabbit. Although, there would be oppositions however from Bigwig and most of the _Owsla_.

"Kehaar, down here!" I shouted for him. It took more than three times to get his attention, as I pitch my shout for my him. He than turned around and landed by my side.

"Andrew! Who is this bunny?" Kehaar asked.

"He's a rabbit, whose sick and he's desperate help fast; before he could die from starvation." I told him about what happened.

"Kehaar saw you hidding, as Vervain was looking for you." Kehaar added.

"Yes and thank you." I thanked him for his help. "Now we need his help, have Hazel and the others ready for another rabbit, soon as possible, as I still help him with the climb."

Kehaar nodded his head boldly, before he flies to the top of the hill to get help. We than began the climb to the top of the hill, as Lush began to lose his strength, that I took a heavy measure to carry him, from my hands, like cradling a baby. He still continues to shiver, as he was purring. We than managed to reach up top that I had to set him down and walk him for the rest of the way.

"We're almost, you have to fight, as long you have enough breath to fight to survive. You can do it." I encouraged the rabbit to not lose hope. We than entered the warren and followed the tunnel path that led to the Honeycomb. I saw all the rabbits were up and going about their lives, as usual. However, due to the rain, they would mostly spend their days inside the warren. I saw Primrose, Blackberry, and Strawberry chanting with each other; Pipkin and Tyler playing with Gilia and Snowdrop, while being watched by Hawkbit and Dandelion; than I saw Hazel was talking alongside Bigwig and Fiver, as well Kehaar telling them about me with another rabbit.

"Andrew! You're here." Hazel turned around to see me coming in, as Bigwig, Fiver, and Kehaar saw me too.

"Whose is this buck?" Bigwig asked me.

"His name Lush, an _Efrafa_ rabbit, who is very weak and sick, and needs food and remedies fast or he'll die." I answered.

"You bought an _Efrafa_ rabbit here?! He may go back and tell everyone in _Efrafa_ the location of our warren!" Bigwig exclaimed.

"He's too weak to know how we got here. He may not remember, unless we keep him here to live." I suggested.

Hazel came to the rabbit and sniffed Lush. "He's very weak and an _Owsla_ rabbit."

"Wonderful." Bigwig exaggerates.

"I don't know if he would make, Andrew. However, we're going to try everything we can." Hazel promised. "Blackberry."

She came quickly and saw the weak rabbit, as she gasped. "What happened?"

"A sick rabbit, who needs help, can you get him to a burrow and try to help him recover?" he asked her.

Blackberry examines the rabbit. "What's his name?"

"His name is Lush, according to the _Efrafa_ patrol." I answered.

Blackberry was uncertain, because of his state, but she wasn't going to give up. "I'll fetch him a nice warm burrow and help him anyway I can."

"I have extra blankets in my room that you could burrow for him." I offered the blankets to Lush to keep him warm, as I removed the wet and damp blanket off of him, before he was being escorted by Blackberry.

"Why did you help him?" Bigwig asked.

"He's dying. If I was there and left him to die... it would have hunt me." I explained. "You'll probably would have know that, if he was a fellow rabbit or more than that, part of your _Owsla_."

Bigwig thought and understood that I couldn't leave him behind to die alone.

"Now what happens if Woundwart finds us?" Fiver asked.

"I doubt he'll find us. I know that, before I helped the rabbit, the patrol is still off as usual." I reported.

"Still, it won't be long, until if they discover us and he'll attack with everything he has." Bigwig answered. "And there's not enough of us to fight him off."

We than looked at the young rabbits: Gilia and Snow drop playing a new game with Pipkin and Tyler called _Rollin' Acorn_ , which is a basic ball passing, but with a pebble instead of a ball.

"We'd be wiped out." Bigwig continued.

"Then we have to think of new tricks to throw off the _Efrafans_ off our trail." Fiver said.

"That's not enough. We need to take more direct action." Hazel told Fiver. "What if we attack Woundwart from the inside."

"You mean having a double agent or a spy?" I asked.

"Yes, if we could have someone from _Efrafa_ willing to overthrow him." Hazel answered and suggested.

"I don't know about overthrow, remember when we tried that and it didn't even work." I recalled about the revolt in _Efrafa_. "However, it doesn't mean that we could always have someone monitor Woundwart's position on his _Owsla_ patrols."

"He'd have to be fearless or mad." Bigwig said.

"How about Campion?" Fiver suggested.

"That could work, Fiver. We suspect that he doesn't like the way Woundwart is doing to his warren." Hazel agreed.

"An _Owsla_ captain? Betrays chief?" Bigwig questioned.

"Never a bad idea. Would you, if you were one of his captains?" I than asked him, as I agreed with Hazel and Fiver.

The three of us looked at Bigwig and thought if he was in Campion's position. "I think I'd have to."

"Than I guess that we have our more direct plan." I said.

"It's settled, we'll let everyone know that we're going to meet Campion at a disclosed location, where the _Efrafa_ rabbits won't find us." Hazel decided, as we opened up a new plan of espionage. We'll have Campion be our man from the inside to operate and alert us of Woundwart's latest moves.

* * *

After we our short plan meeting, we than have everyone in our warren meet with us, as Hazel told the plan that is going to occur.

"Stay alert for _Efrafa_ patrols and don't let anyone wander too far from the warren." Hazel instructed Hawkbit and Dandelion.

"With this sort of weather that won't be a problem." Dandelion acknowledged.

"Do you really think Campion will come with us Hazel?" Hawkbit asked.

"Only one way to find out, Dad. Is to ask." Tyler answered.

"Right, let's go." Hazel than initiated for the plan to ask Campion for our help. Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig, Tyler, Pipkin, Primrose, and myself headed towards the caverns, from there we found our secret entrance and exit of the warren. We than noticed the stream's water level is rising due to the rain.

"Look how high the streams getting." Bigwig said.

"From all the rain, I suppose." Fiver came up.

"Back in California, we could get few months of rain or hardly don't get any rain at all." I recalled my days back in California that we have droughts because of less rain.

I than saw Pipkin was starting to put his foot on the water to taste the water's temperature. "Cold rain." he shivered.

Hazel than looked back at Primrose to see her quiet and seemed to be worried. When he spoke to her, she tells him that she continues to have nightmares about _Efrafa_ and worries that Woundwart's _Owsla_ finds her, that she'll be taken back. Despite of her fears, she's still committed to do her role of helping us to convince Campion to join us, as Hazel knows that she will be an asset.

"Right, if we're going, let's go." Bigwig said, before he jumped in first, before the rest of us follows. When I first jumped in the stream water, the water was cold that I slightly shivered. However, as I always know about swimming that is, keep moving your body in the water too warm yourself. We managed to go outside and went through the willows to head towards land.

"Some adventures are more than others, aren't they Bigwig?" Pipkin asked.

"Well, I've been on a few drier ones." Bigwig answered, as everyone got on land.

"Took you long enough! Kehaar ready for action!" Kehaar was ready. We'll than headed to the bridge, where _Efrafa_ guards usually have at least two or three guard guard there, as if it was the very border. We kept ourselves hidden underneath to avoid detection.

"Right on schedule, the _Efrafa_ patrol haven't arrived yet." Bigwig stated.

"Sooner or later, Campion will come across the bridge and we'll be ready." Hazel remained everyone about the patrol.

A small drop fell on Pipkin. "Sooner is better."

"Not yet, we still need to make a strategy for Campion to be drawn." I told him.

"How about if Primrose and I would draw him, since he's more to know us, since we were there before, but we still need the guards taken care of or distracted while doing it? " Tyler suggested.

"Kehaar would take of those rabbits." Kehaar said, before he flew away.

"How would he know about you?" I asked.

"Because, I recalled about him, when a riot broke loose." Tyler answered. "There was a rabbit being forced to remain in the warren, because of him attempting to escape. I stood up to one of the _Owsla_ rabbits that he needed to _silflay_ because he was hungry. Afterwards, the _Owsla_ rabbit tried to tear off my ears, but I managed to hold him off, before the _Owsla_ spotted a fight going on, that would eventually cause the other spirited rabbits, who needed to _silflay_ and/or eat, to spark a riot and a fight began. While I was battling with the _Efrafa_ _Owsla_ , I remembered seeing Campion in the middle of it."

"Did you both engaged in combat?" Bigwig asked.

"No, but we both had a glance at each other during the riot, before we continued. Later, most of the rabbits were executed, for some reason that I can't shake off. Campion spared my life." Tyler finished.

"As he did with me and Blackavar." Primrose recalled also for their experiences.

We started to hear rabbits approaching from above, Hazel got everyone into our positions, as Primrose and Tyler were together and heading to their positions too. When I hid along with Hazel and the others, we saw Campion and four other _Efrafa_ rabbits were about to guard the bridge for trespassers what I assume. However, they began to cross the bridge, as they're trying to find our warren. We than saw Kehaar flying towards a bridge, like one of a World War Two dive bomber, and knocked two rabbits and they were taken by the the river's waters. Two other _Efrafa_ rabbits cowardly fall back to the warren, possibly to alert the others.

"That'll get more of the rabbits to come here." I began to worried.

"It'll be quick for us to subdue him and try to give him the choice to help us." Hazel assured. "We'll be able to persuade him, before his help arrives."

As Kehaar flies away, after a second attempt to distract Campion; Primrose and Tyler came out of hiding to be spotted by him.

"Hello Campion." Primrose greeted him.

"Primrose and Tyler! You two came back!" Campion hurried over to see them both, as he was thrilled to see their faces. "You two look well."

As Primrose turned away, Tyler tackled him to the ground, as it's our queue to restrain Campion to the ground. Bigwig and the rest of us quickly held him down, as Campion struggles.

"Settle down." Bigwig tries to subdue.

"Maybe we could probably use a sed-a-give to put him to calm him." I suggested it as a joke.

"We just want to talk, Campion!" Hazel exclaimed. Campion began to settle down, before we could release him.

"Seems I have no choice." he said.

Hazel and Bigwig had Campion followed them to a bush, as I waited for Primrose and Tyler. Tyler and I saw Primrose was unease from what we had to do.

"We had no other choice. You did the right thing." I comforted her.

Tyler warmly smiled at her back, until she was ready and the three of us headed to the bush, as Fiver and Pipkin were waiting for us there, to discuss with Campion.

 _To Be Continued..._


	36. Season 1 Finale: Kidnapped Part 2

Kidnapped Part 2

After we got Campion, we met behind the bush and try to convince him to join us, by spying on _Efrafa's_ latest move. I had mixed feelings for this meeting: one is that he could be persuaded enough on how _Efrafa_ is heading towards a dark path of dictatorship. Another feeling is that Campion may falsely agree, by saying he would help us, but in the end that he would betray us from telling Woundwart where our warren is.

"I want your word, as an officer, you won't run until you heard us out." Hazel wanted Campion to promise that he won't run, until Hazel and the rest of us try to negotiate for an alliance between us and Campion.

"You have it." Campion accepted his promise. "Unlike Bigwig's, my word means something."

"I'd watch your lip, ol' son." Bigwig warned Campion.

"What's he mean, Bigwig? You always tell the truth, don't you?" Pipkin asked Bigwig.

Bigwig stuttered. "Usually, yes, he's just got a stiff neck about mine spying on _Efrafa_." Bigwig recalled about himself spying on _Efrafa_ , along with Tyler and myself.

"I understand how you don't like him, because you think he betrayed _Efrafa_." I said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bigwig asked.

"I think since we left, after our full tension about _Efrafa_ , Campion doesn't trust you." I explained.

"My _Owsla_ will be looking for me. What do you have to say? Campion decided we should get off our chests to tell him about _Efrafa_.

"This war between our warren's is hurting all of us. It has to stop!" Hazel exclaimed.

"It will, when you've been destroyed." Campion said.

"Easier than said than done, mate." Bigwig said, as Campion's warren's agenda wouldn't be easy.

"Woundwart preaches hate and violence. You don't believe in him, Campion." Primrose knows about Campion's doubts about Woundwart. "I know you don't."

"He's mine chief." Campion expressed his loyalty to Woundwart.

"Campion, you remember about the riot right?" Tyler asked.

Campion went into to thinking than he remembers. "I have. You were there fighting most of our _Owsla_ rabbits, because one of our officers refused to let a rabbit _silflay_."

"True, but you spared me, as I was meant to be executed from sparking a riot." Tyler added.

"As you also, saved my life too, from Woundwart's and Vervain's cruelties." Primrose recalled about her days that Campion stood up for her.

"And then you two left, especially you Primrose with Hazel." Campion said.

We all than looked at Primrose, because she knew there was something beyond larger than life, than being confined in _Efrafa_. "Because life inside of _Efrafa_ , without freedom and hope isn't worth living."

"And that's why you left." I said.

Primrose nodded at me, before looking back towards Campion. "Help us, Campion. Help _Efrafa_."

"How?!" Campion questions us.

"Lead your _Owsla_ against Woundwart. Take command, save your people." Hazel tries to give words of encouragement and motivation.

"Campion." I tried to speak to him, but he remained silent.

"We'll meet you here at sunset. Give us your answer than." Hazel decided to let Campion to think about. Everyone started to leave, but I stayed for a moment to speak with him.

"I know it's not easy to go against a leader that you may have hold dear, because you're his trusted officer and than being asked to betray him. It's conflict of interest, you can't always go both ways, as it was hard for me. Just think about it." I reasoned with him with a pat on the back, before joining Primrose.

"Primrose? Are you happy, where you are now?" Campion asked her.

She turned towards him and smiled, before leaving towards the bushes. "Yes Campion. I am."

I looked back at him with a nod and smile, before rejoining the others.

* * *

We than got out of the bushes, as we finished our little chat with Campion.

"That wasn't easy." I said.

"Why's that?" Pipkin asked.

"It's conflict of interest. He follows orders and looks up to Woundwart, but deep down, he knows that _Efrafa_ isn't going in the right direction." I explained to Pipkin.

"We need to head back to the warren and give him time." Hazel suggested. We started to head our way back to our warren.

"Do you think he may join us?" I asked.

"Maybe. I looked at his face and could tell that he wanted too, without being charged treason." Tyler answered.

"Everyone has to do something that they may not impress and cause disappointment to the other side." I added.

"To trust an _Efrafa_ _Owsla_ officer, I wouldn't." Bigwig said.

"It maybe our only chance to see _Efrafa's_ plans, as well if they found our warren, Campion would tell us." Fiver stated.

"I know, but we never know, if he could play double agent for our cause and Woundwart's." I worried.

"He can't be for both sides, Andrew. That is why we gave him a choice." Hazel said.

I sighed as I'm clueless and worried about Campion's decision would inflect on how the plan goes.

"Run like bunnies! Vervain comes!" Kehaar came above us and warned us that Vervain and his _Owsla_ are tailing us. I wondered, if Campion had tipped them off that we're heading back to our warren or Vervain found us. It didn't occur to me at this point, as we're trying to hurry back to our warren. The rain gave us the benefits that our footprints would disappear without a trace.

"Stay off the sand!" Bigwig warned us.

Well everything would cover our tracks, except for the sand. We followed direction and we managed to arrive at our secret warren's entrance through the willow tree that leads us to the caverns. From after swimming the trail of water and got back on dry cavern land, we began to hear Vervain shouting in command to move out, as they're continued to search for us.

"I think they're going away." Pipkin told us.

"That's a relief." I was taking my breaths from the running.

"Campion looks thin and sad. Things must be bad in _Efrafa_." Primrose felt Campion's emotions while we're speaking to him.

"It must be more secured and strict, from the revolt." Tyler added.

"Do you think he'll throw in with us?" Fiver asked.

"I don't know, but I do have some doubts because he does interests of one thing and now he's being asked to another, but opposite from Woundwart's. Such strange things goings on." I answered with uncertainty.

"Maybe if things are bad enough, it's hard to betray your chief. Even if he is Woundwart." Bigwig added.

"What about Vervain? We can't forget about him, what if he spotted Campion singled handily if we met him again." I worried.

"If Vervain saw us with Campion, he may not have the chance." Hazel than remembers Vervain, as we all know him as the _Gestapo's_ chief.

"However, Woundwart trusted Campion, as his best. If Campion tries to think the other way around, by conspiring against us when speaking to Woundwart, Campion would be able to be a perfect spy." Tyler said.

We all than nodded our heads to believe that Campion would be too clever to be fooled or tricked from Vervain's _Gestapo_ methods. We decided to have our rest and wait until sunset, before heading back to our meeting spot where Campion would make his decision.

* * *

Hours after a long wait, Hazel had Pipkin and Tyler go together to see, if the sunset. Meanwhile, Bigwig tries to re-challenge Fiver in a game of _Bob-Stones_. As always, Fiver continues to maintain his strategic dominance when he plays against Bigwig.

" _Bob-Stone_ guess is one." Bigwig guessed. Fiver revealed from his paws that two stones were hidden. He than fell again to Fiver's winning belt.

"I'm sure Hazel must have taught everything he knows." I figured.

"He did. From the best that is." Fiver smiled, before they continued their match and Fiver easily defeated Bigwig again, as Fiver guessed the right amount of stones hiding underneath Bigwig's paws. I than went over to Hazel and Primrose, as they gazed around the cavern's inner beauty.

"It's strange that _Frith_ would make something so beautiful, then hide it away under the world like this." Hazel wonders about the cavern's creation.

"Sometimes in creation, some are mean to be above and the rest go under the Earth." I joined.

"He does it with his creatures too." Primrose smiled. Hazel and I turned our heads to Primrose. "Like Campion."

"What's comparing to him and Hazel?" I asked.

"On the outside, he's hard and cold, but underneath, he's a bit like you Hazel." she compared Hazel to Campion.

" _Frith_ creates us, but we make ourselves who we're." Hazel said.

"More of freedom of choice." I said, as they looked at me. "I know created us and we're born sin. We choose to go from the Lord's path, to our own."

"You believe that?" Primrose asked.

"We'll have the choices to be who are. You rabbits intended to be good and follow your folk stories to keep you alive and believe it whole hardheartedly. For me, I have to learn to trust in God and Jesus Christ, as I still try to maintain my spiritual health to believe and believing in _The Bible_."

"You believe of this _'Bible'_?" Hazel asked.

"I haven't read entirely, but I know a few stories and verses that I believe a great deal of it." I answered. "Since I have been working, my faith is covered in mist that it's hard at times to reach back, no matter how I try and do. It'll fall into the mist again."

"Andrew, if something is beyond that you have a great deal of believing spiritual, like your faith. You can't let go it. You have to keep running through the mist and believe." Hazel encouraged me. Although, Hazel and I have different spiritual beliefs about our faithfulness, I have to try to reach back, before I'm more lost than ever.

We than saw Tyler and Pipkin swimming towards us from the outside. We gathered towards them to hear news from them.

"Anything?" I asked.

"Yes, it's nearly sunset." Tyler answered.

"And it's still raining." Pipkin added.

Hazel than realized it's time to meet back with Campion. "We'd better get to the meeting place."

"You need help?" I offered.

"I don't think so. Maybe you could stay behind with Primrose and you two look after Pipkin and Tyler." Hazel insisted and offered the alternative, as he, Bigwig, and Fiver were about hop into the water.

"Come along and stay here, fine." Pipkin was very eager to join with them.

"Don't worry, we'll find something to do, before they come back. Besides we did our part." Tyler assured Pipkin.

"What if we're wrong about Campion?" Primrose came towards the waterline that Hazel stopped swimming, as she felt a small doubt about Campion. "What if it's a trap?"

"That's why you're not coming." Hazel answered, as he feared if it was, Primrose would avoid being captured. As he started to swim back to Bigwig and Fiver, I hurried towards, where Prirmose is standing.

"Hazel?!" I shouted. "What if I keep going through the mist, as I continued to believe and I go nowhere?"

Hazel stopped and looked back towards. "That is something you need to figure out on your own." he warmly smiled, before swimming towards the secret exit. I know that believe is easy, but at the same time to go after and follow the ways is harder than being said than done. I sat down and started to think, while Primrose continues to have doubting feelings about Campion.

"They'll be alright. They're smartest rabbits in the world." Pipkin assured her.

"Except, _El-ahriarah_ of course." Tyler added. Primrose wanted to believe, but she started to think if it was a trap. She than went off to an isolate area, while the three of us watch her leave.

"She's been through a lot." Tyler remembers her struggles in _Efrafa_.

"I know. We all have been through hardships in life that we could be proud or not to be proud." I said. "Why don't you two stay away from the stream, until Hazel, Bigwig, and Fiver come back." We than headed towards Primrose's path, as I looked back to see the water began to rush quicker than before.

* * *

As it was slightly warm, but it started to grew a bit chiller from the outside rain continues. Tyler and Pipkin were playing _Rollin' Acorn_ , while Primrose became anxious for Hazel and the others haven't came back yet.

"They should have been back by now." Primrose worried.

"They'll be back soon. Probably they must have had a run through or something, or more likely a delay." I assured. "I wouldn't worry."

"I'll go, if there's any sign of them." Pipkin said and hurries off.

"Hold on Pipkin." Tyler tries to catch up with him and try to warn him about the water's rapid stream.

"Be careful." I said. "If they're on their way back, they'll be here before you know." I than told Primrose.

"It wouldn't take them so long." she added.

"You shouldn't have doubt, just trust Hazel, as you always have." I smiled.

"Primrose!"

We heard a shout that didn't came far and the voice belonged to Pipkin. We followed the sound of Pipkin, until we saw Tyler jumped into the water to save.

"Don't worry, I'm coming!" We shouted, as Tyler manages to hold on to Pipkin, but the water's current speed was quick that it took both Tyler and Pipkin away towards the warren's secret exit. Primrose got into the water, as I jumped in to swim after them.

"Pipkin!" Primrose calls out.

"Tyler!" I called out also.

We than saw Tyler holding on to a willow, while holding on to Pipkin. I managed to swim ahead of Primrose and I managed to caught Tyler's paw, while I held onto a willow.

"Don't let go!" Pipkin pleaded.

"I won't just hang on!" I promised. My handed started to lose grip, as the willow was having too much tension that it could break. The raindrops made our hand/paw slippery that I lost Tyler's grip and they flow off to the river.

"Tyler! Pipkin!" I screamed, as I watched them flow away.

"Andrew! Primrose!" Pipkin shouted, as he held onto Tyler.

"Pipkin! Tyler!" Primrose came out and held onto a willow.

"The river took them." I sadly said.

Primrose gasped before sobbing into tears. " _Frith_ forgave me."

"Go find Hazel and the others, I'll to swim out to find them." I instructed her.

"Please find them." Primrose begged.

"I'll. Now go."

She got back on dry and hurried off to find Hazel, as I started to follow the river, as the water's current pulled me.

* * *

As I was still in the water, I looked at my surroundings to see no sight of them on land or in water. I tried to shout for their names, but it failed. I swam back on land to see if they were pulled out or they pulled themselves out. I didn't have any luck and I got back in the water to see where it'll take me. I kept my body warm, as I was kicking my feet, as the cold rain continued to pour down and thankfully it didn't hailed. The water than was taking me towards the bridge, where I than spotted Pipkin, as he was trying to wake up Tyler, who was unconscious.

"Oh no." I feared that he had ended up being underwater. I started to swim towards, until I saw Vervain and his patrol were passing by and spotted Pipkin and Tyler. I swam onto land and hid myself within the grass to keep myself concealed.

"Well, who are you must be?" Vervain smiled evilly.

"I'm Pipkin, sir." Pipkin was nervous, but he didn't let fear overcome him.

"I suppose Tyler was with you." Vervain saw Tyler unconscious. "We must have our luckily day of finding a outsider and a rabbit, who escaped from _Efrafa_."

"What should we do, sir?" the new rabbit that I recalled seeing from earlier today.

"We'll bring them to General Woundwart." Vervain commanded his _Owsla_ to take the capture.

They carried Tyler onto one of the rabbit's back, as Vervain and two others kept watch on Pipkin.

"Damn it!" I quietly shouted in rage, as I pounded my fist on the dirt. I than looked back to wonder, if I should go find Hazel and others to tell them what happened to Tyler and Pipkin or go follow them to report back. I knew where they were taking them, but I had to be sure, if they're alright, however importantly to get them out, before arriving at _Efrafa_.

I got up, when they're slightly further away, without spotting me, that I proceeded to follow them. I was already past _Efrafa's_ borderline by now and around the corner anytime, I'll end up seeing that I was there in _Efrafa_. Soon, I arrived at the fissure to see it was _Efrafa_ and I saw Pipkin and Tyler were being taken inside. I went over to see a better view point where they're at. I than saw them at the main room of the warren and there I saw Woundwart coming towards his podium spot. I couldn't get a better sight, because I was further away.

"You there!" I looked around to see a rabbit spotted me from a branch. I got up to try to escape, but suddenly the loose rock dirt edges, causes too fall and I plummeted to ground. After seconds going hard on the landing, I woke up semi-conscious to see rabbits coming towards. I stood up and looked above to see it would be long climb to escape and the rain would make the dirt loose and I'll trip back down to the ground. The _Owsla_ rabbits encircled me and I had no other choice to surrender.

They grabbed and took me to be presented by Woundwart, while I noticed and spotted Campion was being escorted, as he was wounded for some reason. I began to think that the plan backfired and Watership Down would probably not get help from Campion. As I shook my head, I than was stopped and I was standing next to Pipkin and Tyler.

"Andrew?" Pipkin was surprised to see me.

"Are you alright?" I said.

"I'm okay, but I don't know about Tyler." he than looked over to Tyler still unconscious.

I went to him and tried to revive him with some CPR. The first attempt was unsuccessful. When I tried again, he than woke up, as he gasped and coughed up some water. Pipkin and I were relieved that Tyler is still with us, but in a bad timing for where we're at.

"What happened?" Tyler asked.

"You three are in the present of General Woundwart." Vervain smirked. The three of us looked up to see Woundwart standing there at his spot, Tyler gasped and realized where we are.

"We're _Efrafa_!" Tyler realized.

"Indeed you're, Tyler." Woundwart spoke with a smirking smile. "You three are very lucky Captain Vervain found you."

"Especially this human, whose the true _elil_." Vervain added.

"I'm not a true enemy, if you know me better!" I talked back.

"How dare you speak, when not spoken too, in General Woundwart's presence!" Vervain angrily stated.

"Really, you're not really a captain. You're put in that position because you're afraid. Afraid in your whole life."

Vervain gasped. "General, do you hear what he is saying?"

"Unless we could let you three go, you could perhaps tell us where your warren is?" Woundwart tried to be polite and asked us.

"I won't tell you anything, so you might as well kill me." Pipkin protested.

"Me neither!" Tyler got his gumption and refused to tell also.

"Maybe perhaps, this human could tell us." Woundwart than asked me. I chose to remain in mute, without making a plea that I don't know or I do know. Pipkin and Tyler watched.

"What's he doing?" Pipkin whispered.

"He's refusing to plea. Meaning that he's refusing to say he knows or he won't tell." Tyler whispered back.

Woundwart started to realize that I had some spirit in a sense of loyalty. Woundwart went on to commend, as I still won't say a word. "What sort of stories have you three been hearing about me?"

"If I have to remind you General, this human is also responsible for the revolt that caused Primrose and the others escape, including Bigwig's betrayal." Vervain still remembers about the revolt that Shadow and his rabbits bravely fought for having his son, my friends, and myself to escape.

"You did." Woundwart started to remember. "Now, I wouldn't to execute the three of you, importantly for Tyler and Pipkin. You are all guests."

Vervain gasped in disappointment that I was being spared, for now. Other than I knew obiviously that Pipkin and Tyler would receive more linear hospitality treatment.

"Show the three the best quarters _Efrafa_. Where they'll be in separate quarters." Woundwart instructed the _Owsla_ to take us to our best burrows.

"But General, the human is the enemy of our warren!" Vervain protested.

"I won't ask again." Woundwart growled. "And make sure they get _flayrah_ from mine private store."

"Ummm... thank you General Woundwart." Pipkin and Tyler thanked.

"Yes... thank you." I thanked also.

"Quiet, you fool!" Vervain shouted at my ear. I began to realize that my linear treatment would be the opposite.

"Remember, we need to stick together and don't say anything about our warren, no matter how nice they're trying to present." I quietly whispered to Tyler and Pipkin. They nodded, as they agreed. They were given a burrow for them to share, as they had me have a separate burrow next to theirs.

"You're to remain in here, until Woundwart and myself would be coming back shortly." Vervain spoke and his rabbits left.

I sat down and looked around to see the burrow wasn't different than I was back at Watership Down, but I usually still prefer to be back in my old room. It wouldn't be until about five minutes later, I saw Woundwart, Vervain, and two other _Owsla_ rabbits entered the burrow. I was nervous that now I was in their custody, I wasn't knowing for sure what they'll do to me. I scooted by the corner, but it was covered.

"Relax, human. Nobody will get hurt. It's only business." Woundwart smirked. "We wanted to know where the warren is. When the warren is found everything would be okay."

I didn't let my guard down, as Woundwart was trying to be faking to be nice, as I could usually tell, but most times that I can't tell. "I know Tyler is from another world. Are you from his world too?" Woundwart than asked.

"Yes... yes I am. I'm from the United States, as Tyler was too." I answered.

"And are you to be considered what they Tyler told us also they're called 'Yankee'?"

"Yes that it's basically another term, but yes and I'm from California." I answered.

"I suppose you're orphan, as well?" Vervain asked.

"No, I'm not." I answered.

A vibrate sounded off that the rabbits jumped, except Woundwart. I looked down at my pockets to see the vibration was from my phone. "Look it's nothing, it's... just my phone, it's probably dying and nothing's there."

"And your name is Andrew?" Vervain questioned me.

"Yes."

"Now, Andrew. No would be harmed, if you don't play tricks." Woundwart warned me.

I stuttered. "I'm not... my phone is dying and-"

"As the general says, no would get hurt. Easy." Vervain added.

My breathing became quick, as the tension was rising that something would go for the worst.

"Hey!" Vervain demanded my attention. "Look at me."

"Yes."

"Look at me!" Vervain repeated.

"Sure."

"I'm your captain now." Vervain stated, that he's in charge of me. I now know that I was "The Captain Philips". I was being searched and asked me to pull out my phone and tossed it to the ground to see the call was from my mother.

I tried to go over to the phone, but rest of the _Owsla_ rabbits held me down.

"No please! Let me talk to her, please!" I begged. Vervain hopped to my phone to investigate it, before picking it up. As he swiped the green to answer the call.

"Mom! It's me! I'm being held here by rabbits of _Efrafa_ and I need help! I'm trying to get home to you!" I shouted towards the phone, as I slightly heard my mother's voice through the voice, although it wasn't on speaker.

 _Andrew?! Are you there?_

Vervain than picked up the phone. "Now you have when the moon is round to Hazel, Bigwig, and Fiver brought here. Until the moon is round."

 _Hello. Andrew, are you still there? Hello!_

Vervain came to realize that my mother doesn't know about Hazel and the others.

"Please let me talk to her." I continued to beg. Vervain smirked and ended the call with his paw.

"NO!" In tears, I unrestrained myself and hurried over to my phone to see the phone is fully charged, since I came here. And the service was low that I can't make another call to her.

"You sick as evil, you know that?!" I shouted in rage at Vervain in tears. "You didn't let me get a chance to say hello and/or goodbye! Now I'll never hear my mother's voice again." I than hid myself tears.

"Vervain, take him with you, with your troops to warn Hazel and others to hand themselves over, until the moon is round." Woundwart was solemn, as he seemed to know about losing a mother, before he hopped away.

* * *

I than was tied up by weeds and I was than being taken to outside of the warren. When we got outside, the rain has already been stopped and the clouds were starting to clear up. It wasn't a short walk, until we arrived at the bridge and Vervain hopped on top of the railing, as I was being forced to join him.

"Outsiders!" Vervain shouted for Hazel and the others, if they're in present. "I know you're out there!"

I saw moving tall grasses to see Hazel and the others were hiding. They're in shock to see where I was and wondering where Pipkin and Tyler are.

"General Woundwart sends you a message. Hazel, Bigwig, and Fiver, you have until the moon is round to surrender!" Vervain announced.

"Don't do it, you guys! It's a trick!" I shouted. "Please, don't do this!"

"Put him down and keep him silenced!" Vervain ordered his rabbits to put me down and covered my mouth.

"If you do not, you'll never see your young friends Pipkin, Tyler, and of course your human friend Andrew alive again! Remember, till the moon is round!" Vervain finishes and hops down.

"Now move out and keep this human, silent on our way back." Vervain ordered.

His rabbits than started to kick and punched me with their paws. It wasn't worse than what Vervain did to me, but it was constant though. I knew Pipkin, Tyler, and myself are not safe. My only chance is find our way out of _Efrafa_. I than looked at the moon and it was only half full.

"Please God." I prayed. "Please don't make the moon turn round, as it would put my friends in danger."

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Notes: There you have it folks! The end of Season 1! I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas in this episode. I would be starting soon for the next Season of Watership Down! Thank you for support, my fellow readers as always. Feel free to write down, what you think about this first season. Also, I may do a surprise for Season 2, but I won't reveal what it is, until it's time. Stay Tuned for the next Season's first episode!


	37. Episode 14: Prisoners of Efrafa Prolouge

Prisoners of Efrafa Prologue

After they discovered the capture of Pipkin, Tyler, and Andrew from Woundwart's demand, announced from Vervain; Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, and Primrose decided to return to Watership Down, everyone gathered at the Honeycomb everyone what has happened and trying to find solutions to end this hostage crisis.

"We are to inform of a crisis that Pipkin, Tyler, and Andrew are being held captive by General Woundwart in _Efrafa_." Hazel announced the news to everyone at the down, leaving gasps and shock that they have held two rabbits and a human captive.

"The demands were announced by Vervain, one of the _Efrafa_ _Owsla_ rabbits, that we're supposed to make an prisoners exchanged at the riverbank, near the stone bridge." Bigwig added. "Our lives for Pipkin's."

"And Tyler's." Fiver added.

"And Andrew's finally." Hazel finished.

Everyone were disturbed and protest that Hazel, Bigwig, and Fiver shouldn't have to give themselves up for the captive prisoners.

"You can't surrender, even if it means losing the three." Blackberry sadly stated.

"Blackberry! How could you say such a thing? It's Pipkin, Tyler, and Andrew!" Hannah disagreed.

"I know, but Watership Down wouldn't last one season without Hazel, Bigwig, and Fiver."

"I'm afraid she's right." Captain Broom added. "Woundwart would be down on us like winter rain."

"The good of the warren comes first." Hawkbit agreed.

"Hawkbit! How could you?! Giving up the three, especially Tyler, who looks up to you as a Father!" Clover exclaimed. "You think that is good?!"

"I-I never said that!" Hawkbit stuttered.

"Even Andrew, we're not going to abandon him, as well for how much he helped us!" Sandy protested.

"No one is giving up!" Hazel declared. "We won't surrender and we won't give up on them. We also have a secret ally inside _Efrafa_."

"Captain Campion." Bigwig announced.

"For now, Woundwart still has poor little Pipkin, Tyler, and Andrew." Kehaar added.

"I fear that Andrew would probably be treated like any other prisoner in _Efrafa_ , from the fact that he was mainly responsible for the revolt." Comet feared.

"Not only to forget that Woundwart and Vervain despises all man and woman." Sandy added, as she still remembered her days in _Efrafa_ , before her curse came.

"Maybe Woundwort would go easier on Pipkin and Tyler being a kittens?" Blackavar thought hopefully. "He hasn't captured anyone who was children before in the entire time Primrose, Sandy, and I were trapped there, he might show mercy."

"Don't forget, Tyler even had to live in _Efrafa_ for a short period of time, before he escaped. Who knows." Captain Holly remind Blackavar, as he than recalled about his own escape, if it wasn't for Primrose, who he didn't know at the time.

"We can certainly hope so Blackavar," Primrose replied sadly as she fell into despiar, as she still blames herself from Pipkin and Tyler being taken by the river and letting Andrew go to find them, only they would end up being captured.

Hazel came over to Primrose and nuzzled her for comfort. "It's not your fault. We'll find a way to end this and bring them home." At one point also, Gilia was saddened that Tyler was kidnapped, as she joined in with her parents for comfort, as they comforted her also from that she's in love with Tyler.

"In the mean time, we'll began to strategize hopefully a rescue attempt to bring them home. For now, we need to pray that _Frith_ will protect them and prevent any harm upon them." Hazel added, before the rabbits bowed their heads and closed their eyes to have a moment of prayer to give Pipkin, Tyler, and Andrew safe from harm, giving them strength to look after each other while being held against their will, giving Hazel and everyone in the warren the strength to work together to have a swift solution.

Finally and the most important... is giving them " **A Prayer of Hope** ".

Author's Note: I wanted to thank randomkungfupandafan for some of the dialogue in this prologue. As well and always I would also like to thank Supernova2015 for ideas for this episode for the upcoming parts, as well for the title to called _Prisoners of Efrafa_. I thought also it was best to have a starting prologue, before going to starting the episode. Stay Tuned for the first part of the episode! More will come.


	38. Episode 14: Prisoners of Efrafa Part 1

Prisoners of Efrafa Part 1

It's been hours since our capture and after I was being brought back to _Efrafa_ after being brought by Vervain to announce his demands. I was sent back to my burrow and there I decided to fall asleep for the night. As the morning came, I couldn't be able to get one sleep, despite of having a comfortable burrow. I fear for the worst for everyone back in our warren. I never thought this part of my life would turn out this way, as I remember hearing international stories about hostage crisis' like in Munich in 1972, and more other international hostage crisis to recall from my interests of history. I got up and went over to see two rabbits were guarding the burrow. As I try to leave the burrow, they noticed me before looking straight back at the tunnels' walls.

I went on to find Pipkin and Tyler, as I went to the next burrow to see Pipkin and Tyler were eating some _flayrah_.

"Oh hello Andrew!" Pipkin greeted.

"Morning." Tyler greeted also. I smiled, before I recognized the black rabbit, who was giving them food, was none other than Vervain. As looked at me, I lowered my head down without getting any eye contact with him and my smiled faded.

"General Woundwart thought you might enjoy this _flayrah_ , young masters Pipkin and Tyler, and human Andrew." Vervain said.

I sat down next to Pipkin and Tyler being dead silent and watched Pipkin and Tyler eat.

"You have to try some, they're not bad." Tyler encouraged me to eat.

I didn't felt like eating after having a bad sleep. I simply set it a carrot and didn't even had a taste.

"Are you alright?" he than asked.

"I'm fine, just didn't sleep well." I said, as I continued to look away as Vervain was there.

"What are you staring at?" I heard Vervain and I thought he questioning me.

"Kehaar says you are awfully ugly." Pipkin answered, as he was being questioned from looking at Vervain. "I don't think you're all that bad."

I giggled inside, as I still recall that Kehaar quoting "Ugly Vervain".

"I suppose you do need some matters-" Vervain spoke.

"Take it easy, Vervain! He wasn't trying to hurt your feelings, he's being nice." Tyler defended Pipkin.

"How about you both need a lesson in matters, you snocky little pu-" Vervain was about to strike at them both, as I looked back up to see they were going to be clawed, but luckily he was than stopped by General Woundwart, as he called him out. Vervain than patted both Pipkin's and Tyler's heads with his paws.

"Perhaps you'd like a lesson in obedience." Woundwart warned Vervain.

"If... the general wishes to give one." Vervain nervously stated.

"Young Pipkin and Tyler, and Andrew are our guests. I won't tell you again." Woundwart reminded him, before Vervain left the burrow.

"So how's the _flayrah_ today?" Woundwart asked.

"Very good, thank you sir." Pipkin thanked him.

"Indeed." Tyler thanked also.

"And you?" Woundwart asked me.

"Me?" I asked.

"Yes, the _flayrah_."

I looked away and shook my head. "I'm not hungry and I didn't sleep good."

Pipkin and Tyler looked at each other a bit worried about myself.

"A soft bed, a dry chamber, food, nothing wanting, eh?" Woundwart smiled.

"Are you going to let us go? I'm pretty sure you could keep me here, for I care." I was depressive when I asked.

He than remembered what happened to last night between me and Vervain. "Despite of what you have done, you're lucky to have a mother."

"I have parents, whom I love so much. I'm pretty sure they moved on, except my mother, who just heard me. She'll probably be told it was just her imagination or it was my voice."

"Not to worry of the three of you. You'll see them soon." Woundwart assured us.

"I don't have a mother and father sir. The weasel got them both." Pipkin sadly said.

I looked back at Pipkin and quietly gasped, despite I knew Bigwig mostly looked after him. "I'm sorry Pipkin, I didn't know about that."

"Our condolences." Tyler gave him condolences, as well as I.

Pipkin warmly smiles, before we looked back to Woundwart, whose in a shock state.

"General, what's the matter?" Pipkin asked. I went up to him, as I remembered about Fiver's vision about Woundwart's past and what had happened to his mother.

"Woundwart?" I tried to get his attention, as I tried place my hand on his back.

Suddenly, he gasped, as I backed away. "Sorry, you were in a frozen state, are you alright?"

"I lost my parents too. While I was Pipkin's age." Woundwart recalled losing his parents.

"I'm sorry about your parents, I know they really loved you dearly." I gave him a condolence.

"I'm sorry too. It's awful isn't it." Pipkin gave him a condolence.

"Well, I can't spend the day filling my face, can I?" Woundwart than stood up. "If you two... or three need anything... just ask."

"Thank you General." I thanked, as the rest of us did, before Woundwart hopped away. Pipkin looked a bit sadden to hear about Woundwart.

* * *

"I kind of knew it." I said. "I remembered when Fiver visioned it about the lost of Woundwart's mother."

"I remembered that he told me about it when I first came and we both sat together eating _flayrah_ like this." Tyler recalled.

I picked up a piece of cabbage leaf and decided to take a bite and it wasn't bad, nearly compared to Watership Down's _flayrah_. "They don't taste different."

Tyler and Pipkin chuckled.

"How come Woundwart was slightly kind to you, except that you ran away?" I than asked.

"He slightly knew I wasn't too happy and also on how they treated other rabbits here." Tyler recalled. "Besides at least he knew where I came from another world. He also overheard me rambling on that we nearly go into a fight and/or I was sentenced to execution."

"What do you mean?" Pipkin questioned. "I though you were a _hlessi_ and you were a wandering rabbit."

"Who told you that?" Tyler asked.

"Clover did. She than found you, when you were being caged by 'man'." Pipkin answered.

"No, Pipkin. Woundwart's right. I'm really from another world." Tyler pointed out, until he gasped from what he had said.

"What?!" Pipkin in shocked.

I was surprised that Tyler would speak about his true origin, as he took a deep breath. "I'm tired of all the lies that my mom and I had to tell you and the rest of the warren." He sighed. "Prepare yourself... for you're about to learn... the terrible truth."

I didn't want to speak about it or tell Pipkin it is true, as I promised to keep it a secret.

"I lived in New York City, at one an orphanage, as long as I could remember. Although, since two I became devoted to protect and save animals from bad humans, who do terrible things. It wasn't until, when I was four and I was going about my day in streets, I was ran over by a taxi cab."

"You're a human, like Andrew?" Pipkin questioned before he looked at me.

"Yes, but only for a short life, because I died from a being hit by a cab. I than woke up to see a black rabbit-"

" _The Black Rabbit of Inle'._ " Pipkin guessed.

"Yes, I than was changed into a rabbit from my actions I have done and came to your world, as a rabbit." Tyler went on.

"So, how did you actually got caught, meaning by how you came in?" I asked.

"When Woundwart's _Owsla_ found me, Woundwart later on told me that they had spotted a bright light that came down from the sky." Tyler answered.

 _Flashback Begins_

All I remembered after I was changed into a rabbit by _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_ , I was descending down to Earth, but I couldn't see because all I could see was bright lights that blinded me until it went black. I than woke up and looked around to see I was somewhere in the woods.

Well... I'm afraid I'm not in New York anymore. I said to myself.

I than started to wander around through the woods until I managed to find a open field where they're more green grasses, high hills, and possibly more animals even rabbits live around. That wasn't until eventually that I was spotted by Vervain and his _Owsla_ that they than surrounded me and I had no choice to surrender and tell them that I'm lost and I was looking for a place to stay.

I than was presented to Woundwart and told me where I came from and I told him I was a wandering rabbit. Before I where I am today, I had lived to see the mutiny of Woundwart and his _Owsla_ shown on their follow rabbits. My true identity was discovered by Woundwart, as I was talking to myself. I was nearly going to be punished, as Woundwart discovered me as human, but I explained to him what had me changed into a rabbit and he decided to spare me. Making my escape and being caught again, but by a farmer, where I met my adopted Mom, Clover. Until, you guys set us free and we been living at your warren for a while.

 _Flashback Ended_

* * *

"I can't believe it! You can't be sent by _Frith_ that you fell from the sky!" Pipkin denied.

"It's true! I'm sorry you have to hear it, but it is the truth." Tyler said.

"I don't believe you! I thought you were just another rabbit, but now..." Pipkin became angry that he couldn't figure out what to say about him, except that he was being lied to.

Tyler than hopped away to another burrow that was next to Pipkin's. I than looked back at Pipkin, as he shoved the carrot away.

"You really didn't have to yell at him." I told him.

"He lied. Unlike you told us the truth." Pipkin said.

"I know, but I'm assuming he's afraid and he didn't want to hurt you guys. I don't think there's nothing wrong about being human." I said.

Pipkin remained silent.

"Look you around with me long enough, that you guys can tolerate me. Just think about it." I said to leave Pipkin alone.

When I got out, I noticed Campion left the where I was at, probably talking to one of the officers.

"I used to think he was a bit of alright. Well they're the same these officers... cold and snow." the rabbit on my right spoke.

"Do you mean 'cold as ice'?" I mean to correct the term.

"That's not of your business fellow, now move along." the rabbit spoke.

"I know you two been doing well together, just don't break the bond, between you two." I worried.

"What makes you say that?" he asked.

"Well he tries to be fair with everyone in _Efrafa_ , for one thing. Another is that he's loyal." I explained.

"He recalled that you must have saved his life." he spoke.

"Yes." I answered.

"As an _Efrafa_ rabbit, I thank you." he thanked me.

"You don't need thank me. I was only trying to help someone, whose in need of help." I told him with a smile.

"Name's Moss, son. If you need anything, I'll be here. Human." Moss introduced himself.

"Thank Moss." I smiled and nodded my head.

* * *

I began to head my way back to my burrow. I peaked through the next burrow to see Tyler was on his Zune than he played a techno song from _Tron Legacy_ called _Drezzed_. I thought it might be his readjustment song from him being upset or mad, as I have songs that help me cope. He than began to follow the beat with his that he started to forget about the feud he had with Pipkin. I smiled as he beginning to feel content.

I than entered my burrow and I started to yawn. I might as well try to get some sleep to make the days being captive here will go by fast. My sleep only lasted for minutes after I was awaken from being shaken. When I opened my eyes, I saw was Vervain and two other rabbits had encircled me.

"Well... now that we're alone, maybe we could have some time alone with each other." Vervain smirked, as he ordered his rabbits to restrain me.

"I know that were silent since you were being asked about the warren of the outsiders. Maybe I should try to ask you where are they." Vervain interrogated.

I started to feel shaky, but remained silent.

Vervain than ordered his rabbits to turn me around to face the walls and had me press on it. I started to feel like I was going to be tortured. Without knowing what he did, I felt pain that was from my back as if I was given marks and hear tears from my shirt.

"Now! Tell me where the outsiders' warren and the deal could be off." Vervain demanded.

"We could keep going on for all I care, I'm not telling you squat." I refused.

Vervain gasped and made other scratches on my back and felt more pain than my first. I than started to lose strength from standing, as it was repetitive like being whipped by a master. I than was on my knees, before I would be on the ground, the _Owsla_ rabbits caught my fall and picked me back up.

"Perhaps this teaches you a lesson to not to threat _Efrafa_ and General Woundwart. What do you have to say?" Vervain exclaimed.

He than lifted my head by his paw only for me to spit on his face and saliva was between his nose and mouth. The two rabbits gasped from surprised that a human spat on him, as they continued to restrain me. Vervain removed the saliva by his paws and he became furious.

"How dare you! This mark will teach you to-" I was ready for to be finished.

"Captain Vervain!" I heard a voice that his claw nearly touched my face and came in Campion. "You heard what the General ordered."

"But-but-but... Campion this human knows where they're hiding!" Vervain stutters.

"They're to be treated as guests by Woundwart's orders. Now leave the burrow." Campion ordered his captain.

Vervain furiously stormed out the burrow and Campion ordered the rabbits to put me down on the ground. They did as they instructed, before he ordered one of the rabbits to grab some herbs and water. I was too weak to look up, as Campion inspected my wounds.

"He sure did a nasty one there. Worst than the hawk did me." he said.

I couldn't talk, because I was in so much pain. Minutes later, the two _Owsla_ rabbits came back with herbs and water that were possible from the bridge. He than started to sprinkle water on my back where the wounds, it stings that I made some groans.

"It's alright, you'll be better in no time." Campion assured. "You did also made some enemies like Vervain. I suppose you do have some loyalty and courage that an _Owsla_ rabbit should have, not betraying their home warren."

"They're my friends. I looked up to them as a second family." I whispered. "Mostly Hazel, I looked up to him as a Father."

Campion sighed. "I have been seeing him as well. We promised to get you three out of _Efrafa_."

"They can't give themselves up for the three of us. Their lives will be in stake also." I added.

"They won't. They're going to play some tricks, but I won't reveal details." he said.

"It's fine. I know you can't risk yourself getting into trouble, especially by Vervain." I assured him that he won't reveal details, if it puts him in jeopardy by Vervain.

Campion chuckled. "I guess I won't forget that he smelled like a frog's mucus, when I came into the burrow and after he passed by me."

We than began to laugh because he smelled bad because I spat on Vervain. Campion than started to place some herbs on my back.

"Also... he shouldn't have to treated you like this, that included him not letting you speak to your mother through your... 'phone'. Moss told me what happened.

A tear than dropped from my eye, when Campion mentioned about Vervain ending the phone call from my mother. "Thank you."

"Now you should try to get some rest, before you could be summoned again. I'll keep an eye out for Pipkin and Tyler for the mean time." Campion assured me.

He than headed his way out of the burrow and looked back. "Remember about our secret."

"I know... I won't say anything." I promised.

Campion smiled with a nod. "Good lad." He than left, as I started to close my eyes to try to make up some sleep that I should have. Hopefully, I could sleep more to make the days go faster so Pipkin, Tyler, and myself could be let go. Of course it depends on Woundwart, if it doesn't work, we may need to escape by any means necessary.

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas in this episode. Sorry if this part is short, had a busy week and recovery from last week. Don't worry and stay tuned for the next part for this episode. More will Come!


	39. Episode 14: Prisoners of Efrafa Part 2

Prisoners of Efrafa Part 2

I did managed to fall asleep after having a nice healing from Campion's hospitality, however it never changed from Vervain's brutality as it scared me for the rest of my life. I recalled of having a dream that I was walking through the mist, before I could recalled the conversation that I had with Hazel about faith. The mist started to clear away and shows flashbacks of my life: the moving from Alaska to California, divorce of my mother and father, my mother's remarriage, visiting states like Washington, Alaska, Nevada, New York, Maine, and New Jersey. The other state was Georgia, as my older finished his basic training in the U.S. Army. Getting to see my twin sisters days after their birth, going through middle school to high school eventually graduating. Plays I have done over time from middle school to high school: _Pied Piper_ , _Cafe Murder, Macbeth,_ and finally _The Grapes of Wrath_. Of course, meeting my adopted sister for the first time, as she was still a foster child, before her adoption. Lastly, graduating from Community College and working for Wal-Mart.

After seeing my life events, I than saw my whole, even the ones have passed for the first since the last I saw them. I was being greeted by them and had a three-family group picture that included all the three sides of my family: Wheeler's, Wadleigh's, and Colquitt's. After one flash from the camera, I saw my families have disappeared to see a isolated field that it is nearly wasteland. I than saw an army of Woundwart's men and another group of rabbits that have a feather each on the rabbit's ear. I started to retreat from them. It lasted for a short time, as I was than being surrounded I saw Vervain hopped forward.

"You, Mr. Andrew Wheeler are guilty! For aiding the outsiders warren and aiding Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig, and Campion in conspiracy of overthrowing General Woundwart!" Vervain shouted, before he looked back towards Woundwart. "With your permission, his sentence should be execution, as like the others from the outsiders' warren?"

General Woundwart think, before nodding his head. "Proceed."

Vervain looked back at me with an evil smile, as his men started to hop towards, as I groveled and begged for my life, so I could return to my family. He than raised his paw to the sky, as I closed my eyes and waited for my fate to be in their hands. I didn't feel the pain, as I than woke up to see I was back in _Efrafa_.

Gasping for air, sweating like a mad, and needing someone to comfort me from a nightmare. I than realized that I was away from Watership Down and Hazel wasn't by my side when I needed him. Maybe I shouldn't have jumped into the brook and try to look for Pipkin and Tyler. However, I started to think that my doubting would betray their trust if I simply let them swim away. A tear fell from one my eyes and I started to think that I wanted to go back home, to enjoy life and being surrounded by the people I love.

 _Be brave little one_  
 _Make a wish for each sad little tear_  
 _Hold your head up though no one is near_  
 _Someone's waiting for you_

 _Don't cry little one_  
 _There'll be a smile where a frown used to be_  
 _You'll be part of a love that you see_  
 _Someone's waiting for you_

 _Always keep a little pray'are in your pocket_  
 _And you're sure to see the light_  
 _Soon, there'll be joy and happiness_  
 _And your little world will be bright_  
 _Have faith little one_  
 _'til your hopes and your wishes come true_  
 _You must try to be brave little one_  
 _Someone's waiting to love you_

* * *

I than saw Moss with two other rabbits arrived at my quarters. I began to shiver, if Vervain would be present and I may be subjected to beating again.

"Andrew, sir. You're being requested by General Woundwart." Moss announced.

"Why?" I asked.

"No trouble, but an important request that you should attend immediately. I wouldn't take no for an answer." he answered.

I than nodded my head, as I think if he was being asked why I didn't come, Woundwart may executed Pipkin, Tyler, and me finally. "Okay."

I got up, brushed myself from tears and dirt, before I followed Moss and the other rabbits to the main hall where I was being able to be seated on the ground level. There I saw Tyler was cuing his music on his Zune player, and above I saw Pipkin where Woundwart stands.

 _Why's he doing up there?_ I thought to myself. There I saw General Woundwart came to Pipkin and instructed him to try to take command on one of the rabbits.

"Captain Vervain." Pipkin called to Vervain. I than saw Vervain mumbled and stepped forward to face up top where Pipkin stands. "Hop on one foot and bleat like a sheep."

I than watched Vervain hop on foot and bleated like he's a sheep. I couldn't help chuckled silently, as I thought it was hilarious, even I saw Campion and Moss and looked at each other and couldn't keep a straight face, even Tyler as he watched also.

"It seems you have a flair of command, young Pipkin." Woundwart complimented.

"Really? It doesn't seem that difficult." Pipkin said, as he seemed to have potential to be a captain one day. I than saw Vervain went back to his post and complained on the side to Campion.

"Tyler Damien!" Woundwart called out to Tyler. He manages to set his tunes ready and stood tall attention to Woundwart. "Let's see what Campion tells me about your combatant skills, from what he has saw."

"I'm ready sir." Tyler was ready, he than went over to play his playlist, as Woundwart ordered his _Owsla_ to prepare for combat with Tyler.

I knew Tyler wasn't meant to be intimidated, because of his fighting skills from battling the weasel and of course during his _Owsla_ training. The _Owsla_ rabbits were prepared, as Campion was excused as he gets to watch. Tyler was doing his last warm ups and breathing in out, before one of the rabbits charged up at and the music began to play _Lupinranger vs Patranger_. Tyler does his counter attack with his paws and toss the rabbit to the side, until another rabbit than engaged into combat. Tyler dogged the rabbit's attack and pounced, before went straight for attack, but he manages to do some punching sets, before doing the kick that the rabbit was kicked to the ground.

As the song ended, he went back to his breathing and short recess, as a new song comes into the picture.

 _Ohohoho_  
 _Ohohoho_  
 _Ohohoho_  
 _Ohohoho_

Soon after Woundwart than ordered two other rabbits to face Tyler. By far I was impressed that Tyler was managed to fight off one rabbit at a time. Now Woundwart was challenged to defeat two more rabbits. Campion nodded his head, as he remembers it was the exact combat skills Tyler demonstrated during the _Efrafa_ riot when Tyler was here and had confidence that Tyler would overpower them. Woundwart nodded his head also from the impressiveness of Tyler's strength and skills, Pipkin was slightly amazed, at the same time in disbelief, until he realized that no other rabbits could be able to perform this kind of skills.

 _Listen dance the kung fu_  
 _Like Mister Caine was teaching you_  
 _Keep on move it faster_  
 _And you will be a kung fu master_

 _Check it get up on your feet_  
 _Feel the bass line and the beat_  
 _Kung fu dancing all night long_  
 _Like Mister Caine will turn you on_

 _Everybody was kung fu fighting_  
 _Those cats were fast as lightning_  
 _In fact it was a little bit frightening_  
 _But they fought with expert timing_

After a few attacks, Tyler had a little kicks from them. However, it still didn't means he wasn't mean to give up and be defeated by two strong rabbits. They charge up at him, and Tyler continues to dodge their attacks and manages to get back on his feet like a fighter would. He than manages to use his feet to kick one of the rabbits, and he than performed a triple punch combo on the second rabbit and kicked him to the first rabbit.

 _Everybody was kung fu fighting_  
 _Those cats were fast as lightning_  
 _In fact it was a little bit frightening_  
 _But they fought with expert timing_

 _Check it and take control_  
 _Of your body and your soul_  
 _Kick your feet up in the air_  
 _And sway your hand like you don't care_

 _And taste it- make up your mind_  
 _And feel the power of any kind_  
 _Let the rhythm into your heart_  
 _Mister Caine will make you smart_

His last fighting was with Vervain and Moss. Vervain was in shock, as he watched on how Tyler fight and tries to take himself out of it. However, Woundwart put him in his place and had him battle against Tyler. He than thought it would be a grand chance to prove Woundwart that he could defeat he thinks Tyler as the amateur and thought his moves were nothing.

 _Everybody was kung fu fighting_  
 _Those cats were fast as lightning_  
 _In fact it was a little bit frightening_  
 _But they fought with expert timing_

Moss put on his best effort to fight Tyler, but he manages to give Moss a throw after a few combo sets. Vervain became frightened, as Tyler breathed in and out, also called out to him with a "come here" gesture with his paw, like Neo vs Agent Smith. I chuckled as Tyler tries to have Vervain dare himself into something that he won't be able to accomplish against Tyler.

 _Everybody was kung fu fighting (huh huh)_  
 _Those cats were fast as lightning (ha ha)_  
 _In fact it was a little bit frightening (huh huh)_  
 _But they fought with expert timing_

 _Ohohoho_  
 _Ohohoho_  
 _Ohohoho_  
 _Ohohoho_

 _Everybody was kung fu fighting_  
 _Those cats were fast as lightning_  
 _In fact it was a little bit frightening_  
 _But they fought with expert timing_

 _Everybody was kung fu fighting huh huh_  
 _Those cats were fast as lightning (huh huh)_

After a long fight, Vervain was tossed as a rag doll that nearly all the _Efrafa_ rabbits, who fought and now observing; and Campion laughed at Vervain. Woundwart chuckled.

"That's enough!" Vervain screamed and the rabbits go silent. "I'll show Tyler that I'm not to be bullied by a human rabbit!"

Woundwart started to have a glimpse of flashback of when Tyler first came and he discovered Tyler as human.

 _Flashback Begins_

Woundwart was over-watching the warren from his same spot at the main hall, until Vervain and some of his _Owsla_ approached to him.

"General."

"What is it now, Vervain?" Woundwart asked.

"Sir, we saw a strange light that came down from _Frith_." Vervain spoke.

"From _Frith_?" Woundwart was puzzled. "And?"

"We went to investigate the sight and only to follow a scent of another rabbit." Vervain added.

"A rabbit from _Frith_? Impossible!" Woundwart refuses to believe.

"Well sire', we have the rabbit with us." Vervain said and presented Tyler Damien.

Later, he was being questioned on why he was here in which Tyler explained to them that he was not from this world and feels lost. He than asked permission to stay in the warren. Woundwart warmly obliges, before Tyler was being escorted to his quarters. Woundwart continues to wonder, if Tyler did come from _Frith_.

In the evening, Woundwart was making his way to his own burrows, until he began to hear Tyler talking to himself. Woundwart listens, as Tyler reveals more about himself in private that Woundwart hasn't heard before. He than decides to ask Tyler the truth about himself.

"What are you rumbling about?" Woundwart asked Tyler. He than turned around to see Woundwart at his presence.

"Oh General! You scared me there a minute. Well..." Tyler was trying to speak.

"You come from _Frith_ , haven't you, but you said that you're a human orphan. Are you?" Woundwart asked.

Tyler was nervous, but he than claimed himself down quickly and told him the truth. "Yes, I was human. However, due to unfortunate event, _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_ restored my life, as a rabbit. I than came down to your world as a rabbit, before finding me."

Woundwart listened more in about Tyler, until he understood him, as Woundwart remembers his losses and was much of an orphan like Tyler. He once again remain him that Tyler was welcomed to stay and if he need anything, he could freely ask to make himself comfortable, before he left Tyler be.

 _Flashback ends_

* * *

Woundwart came back from his flashback, as Pipkin woke him up. He than saw Vervain was about to strike Tyler, as Tyler was ready for another combat if it results death.

"Captain Vervain!" Woundwart shouted. Vervain nearly laid a claw at Tyler. "You're not to harm Tyler at any cost! Tyler, you showed much courage that an _Owsla_ displays himself, as Campion reported to me. You're free to go."

Pipkin and I were surprised that Tyler was able to be released scot-free. Vervain on the other hand, he gasped in disbelief.

"But General! Tyler is with the outsiders' warren, where Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig-"

"I won't say it again, Vervain! He's to be released, immediately." Woundwart ordered.

Vervain was furious, as I was in relief that Tyler was going to be released. He than called me and I gave him my attention.

"As soon we leave you three be, you and Pipkin could say your 'goodbyes' to Tyler." Woundwart gave us a chance to say goodbye to Tyler.

Campion went next to me. "Permission to check the guard sir. We'll want them alert, for any incursions, by the enemy."

"Carry on, Campion." Woundwart granted Campion's permission and he left, after making a bow to him. I went over to Tyler, as he was given some time to breath after combating.

"You were impressive, as ever." I complimented.

"Thanks." Tyler said, before he looked slightly down. "I'm sorry I won't be able to stay with you and Pipkin."

"No." I assured him. "You did what you could do and you have done enough. You earned it. However..." I got close to him by his ears. "Make sure that Hazel and the others know that Pipkin and I are safe for the time being."

Tyler firmly nodded his head. "I'll make sure of them to get the message."

"Ha!" Vervain said, as we looked back. "And every rabbit in _Efrafa_ would follow the General. Even into the lair of _The Black Rabbit_."

"But they'd do it out of fear. It's not the same." Pipkin defended himself calmly.

"You'll show the General the proper respect or you'll-"

"Get out!" Woundwart ordered Captain Vervain.

"Sir, I... I only want to-"

"OUT! Or I'll kill you where you stand!" Woundwart shouted.

Vervain feared for his life and ran off.

"Another safe call." I said to Tyler.

"He's afraid." Tyler added. "He couldn't even take me on, despite of how bravely he tried to fight me."

We than watched Woundwart and Pipkin talked again, before he froze as if a flashback came to him. He than let Pipkin said goodbye to Tyler, before he's being ordered to return to his quarters. Pipkin than came down and where the three of us are now alone.

"Well... I guess that's that." I said.

Tyler smiled. "Don't worry. I'll make sure we get you two out of there."

"Please try to make it soon if they can. More we stay the more of the nightmare won't cease to the end." I pleaded.

"I promise to the both of you." Tyler said, before the three of us gave each other a group hug and a best of luck.

"Please be careful, Pipkin." Tyler said to him.

Pipkin nodded. "And Tyler... I'm sorry from what I said to you."

"I know you didn't mean and it's okay. I feel more of about being myself since ever." Tyler said, as he felt firm that he wasn't afraid to tell about his origin, if it cost everyone's trust. Campion came and was ready to escort Tyler out of _Efrafa_.

"Well... good luck to the both of you." Tyler said his farewell.

"Good luck to you too... Tyler." Pipkin and I said and watched him being escorted out of _Efrafa_. Pipkin and I than decided to head back to our quarters, but this time we decided to share my burrow, as he's more alone than Tyler was with him sharing a burrow together.

* * *

We sat in there, before Pipkin tries to fall asleep. I was the only one up to think to find another solution, without them rescuing us, if they're too late.

"We may have to escape." I said.

"I beg your pardon?" Pipkin woke up.

"We have to escape."

"Like you, Bigwig, Primrose, and everyone else?" he asked.

"Yes, but not the same we did. This time is, it is only you and me." I said.

Pipkin came to me and wanted to know more for attempt that we could pull. "How could we do?"

"I don't know, I think for one that we, if we have to _silflay_ above the warren, it could be a good opportunity to escape and I seemed to know where we could escape." I said, as I began to draw some images on the dirt. "You see the bridge?"

He nodded.

"That's where we'll go and follow the river on our left, where I came to follow you and Tyler to _Efrafa_. And there, we could find our way home from there, as long they don't find us." I said, as I explained further the directions to get back to the warren, as we did before when we offered Campion to help us spy _Efrafa_.

"How could that work? Woundwart and his _Owsla_ could follow us and find our warren." Pipkin said.

"True, but if we are quicker than they are with our tricks and using our feet, we'll be home before you know it." I said.

Pipkin started to think for a minute. I gave him the time he needed to think, until he realized it's a good chance, only if we're above the warren. "Great idea!"

We than shared a smile and Pipkin decided to fall asleep for his nap. I thought it could be a better alternative, without Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig giving themselves up. If the escape fails, I'll only hope that Pipkin could be able to escape and find his way home, as I instructed him. I than looked straight at the wall and prayed to God and Jesus to give us strengths that we could outsmart and outrun the _Efrafa_ _Owsla_.

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas in this episode.


	40. Episode 14: Prisoners of Efrafa Part 3

Prisoners of Efrafa Part 3

Pipkin and I are now the only one left as prisoners, as Woundwart had decided to let Tyler go, because of his combat skills. Pipkin was still, as I sat on the ground and tried to keep a close eye on him with an idea that we could escape from here. If I don't succeed than Pipkin could have his chance to escape from here. I walked over to him and gave him a pat and he smiled, as he might be having a good dream.

"Don't worry, we'll find a way out of this." I said to him quietly.

"Masters Pipkin and Andrew!" Vervain came into our burrow. I stood up tall, as Pipkin woke up from Vervain's command. "Your _silflay_ time is here."

I took a deep breath, as it would be a perfect opportunity, at a right moment. Vervain dismissed himself, as I leaned over to Pipkin.

"Remember what I told you Pipkin?" I asked.

"Yes, we'll run across the bridge, turn left, and follow the river." Pipkin said.

"Don't speak about this to Woundwart, as I won't. Although, if something is wrong, that will be our cue to run." I added.

"I'm scared that if Woundwart captured us again, he'll kill us." Pipkin was nervous.

"I know, but..."

"What is it?" he asked.

I couldn't tell him about the exchange that Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig would have to give us up to keep us alive. "Never mind. Just remember, don't stop until you're home, unless you need to hide."

Pipkin than nodded his head, as the two of us followed Vervain for our _silflay_ time outside the warren. We were being led to the outside of the warren and we had to do a short climb to the top of the warren. As soon we reached there, Woundwart and his _Owsla_ were out and about, assuming they're training. Pipkin and I continued to watch Woundwart dominating the _Owsla_ on how he fought almost like a _WWE_ wrestlers.

"Well try for next time." Woundwart said, before coming towards us, as we watched the _Owsla_ rabbits, who challenged him for a fight were recovering from their defeat.

"My daily exercise, such as it is." Woundwart told us.

"I wouldn't be able to stand a chance, if this was my exercise." I said.

"You're a very good fighter, sir." Pipkin complimented.

"I doubt your Hazel could fight three opponents and win, could he?" Woundwart asked.

"I shouldn't think so, but then you wouldn't need to. He thinks his way out of trouble." Pipkin answered.

"Good for him." Woundwart said, before he looked at me. "What about you? Besides you wouldn't stand this kind of a match."

I would agree what Pipkin said. However, I remembered how Tyler fought. "What about Tyler? He fought two and there could no reasonable doubt if he fought off three."

Woundwart sighed to himself and remembered on how Tyler fought. "As I fought my way to freedom from man, I came to _Efrafa_ and displayed my fighting skills at one warren, before taking over as chief."

"Really? So... what are you doing here?" I questioned.

Woundwart than looked at me from a question that I got him to think it wasn't true or it was meant to reveal himself. He than shook his head and dismisses the question. "Shut up, human. You sometimes talk or ask too much questions."

"The problem isn't me talking to you, the problem is you're not listening." I said.

He spoke with Pipkin and decided to show him the view of the warren. When they went, Vervain came up to me and shoved me to the ground.

"You're not to contradict The General! Do you understand?" Vervain exclaimed.

I refuse to say anything and turned away.

"I ask you a question!" he ranted on and on and on, until I had enough.

"Stop talking. Just stop. Talking." I said.

"How dare you-"

"Captain Vervain, let him be." Woundwart said.

Vervain than lowered his paw. "Just don't think you could escape from here, if you can." he said, before he walks away to another post.

* * *

I brushed myself off and walked over to the three where Woundwart and Pipkin were standing.

"I built this place Pipkin. When I came, _Efrafa_ was only a few weak, frightened rabbits. The _elil_ were everywhere attacking and killing." Woundwart told about how he came into power.

"Sounds dreadful." Pipkin barely show any fright or shiver.

"It was, but I change that. I gave them discipline, order, and safety. I could do the same for your warren. If you tell me where to find." Woundwart than questioned Pipkin of our warren. I shook my head at Pipkin, as he was still looking at Woundwart.

"I can't sir." Pipkin refuses.

"Perhaps, maybe your friend could tell me." Woundwart than looked down at me, as Pipkin looked at me also.

"What if you were captured by another warren and asked to give up your warren? Would you do it?" I asked.

Woundwart thought it was a good question, as he thought to himself. "You're right. Neither one of you are willing to give your warren. I'm surprise for you, human. 'Man' would despise of rabbits."

"Not all of them. You know Tyler, he's human too and he doesn't despise them. And for myself, I don't have a problem, even if I had rough start of knowing them at first. In the end, you get to know them better and they're alike a family." I said.

Woundwart laughed. "Hazel and others consider you as family?"

"Yes. I would like to think that. Especially Hazel, he's... he's like a father-brother to me. He treated me like, I wasn't any different from him... I love him."

Woundwart gasped, Pipkin didn't see it, as surprising.

"And you... love me?" Woundwart asked in doubt that I would give him the wrong answer that I would say that I don't.

"I was taught to love your neighbors: friend and foe. Despite, not liking to your choices you made, but I still would." I answered.

Pipkin smiled.

Woundwart laughed harder, as some of the nearby _Owsla_ rabbits joined him. As I looked away from them, I saw a white dove flying above us and I watched it soar away.

"You're nothing! You're nothing like Hazel." Woundwart mocked.

"You're right, I'm not Hazel, but I'm, who I am." I told that I'm just my true self.

"Perimeters secured, General." Campion informed Woundwart.

"I suggest we prepare for the... 'prisoners exchange' sir." Vervain suggested.

It was only two days that the time has already came for Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig to give themselves up for Pipkin and myself. I even knew it could be a trap that they would only capture the five of us and remain in _Efrafa_ for life.

"What does he mean, 'prisoners exchange'?" Pipkin asked.

"Pipkin, I would answer to you on that." I said.

"Be silent!" Vervain exclaimed.

"No. Let the boy talk." Woundwart let me answer to Pipkin's question.

I took a deep breath and I shouldn't have told him about it, when we had the chance to talk about it. "Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig... are going to try to turn themselves over to Woundwart and we go free."

Pipkin became shocked from what I said. "How could you say that?!"

"It's true. It'll came from Vervain when he took me and he announced the demands." I said to him, suddenly I gave him the cue with a nod.

"You can't! We won't let you!" Pipkin cried, before he jumped towards me and we started to make our run.

We try to run for the woods, but Vervain came to our way and I gave him a punch into the face and his right eye began to swell. We than came across with Moss, as he blocked our path. We stopped and ran back away from as he missed us. We than headed towards Campion's direction, without having him stop us, I just shoved him to the sound without giving him a punch. We than made our way to the woods and looked back to see the _Owsla_ were after us.

We than arrived at the bridge and started to make our way across, until two _Owsla_ rabbits, whom normally guard the bridge blocked our path.

"No where to run." one of them spoke.

We looked back to see they're getting near. I looked at the empty, broken hole of the bridge.

"Pipkin, jump!" I grabbed to his paw and we jumped to the water. When we got into the depths, the water's current wasn't rapid from the stormy night of our capture. I held onto him, so that I don't let him go, as we're swimming to our west. We resurfaced from the water and continued to swim. We heard their shouts from Vervain.

"Don't let them get away!" Vervain ordered. Two _Efrafa_ rabbits jumped into the water and headed their way towards. At this point, I had to get Pipkin back on land.

"Pipkin, can you find your way home from?" I asked.

"Ye... yes." Pipkin slightly shivered from the water.

"If you could find them, tell Hazel and others that it may just be me." I said.

"What?! You can't!" he refuses.

"I know, I would rather feel the guilty than you and Tyler have to face. Now go!" I got him back on land and told him to run.

I than saw Vervain was about to follow Pipkin. I got out of the water and jumped on top of him without having him go after him.

"Run, Pipkin, run!" I shouted. I gave Vervain some punches. Before I could finish it, Campion restrained me.

"It's alright, lad. It's alright. He's gone." Campion assured me, as I continued to struggle to free myself.

Vervain was offered to be helped up by his comrades, but refuses. "You dare to strike an officer?!"

"You're just an officer! You're just an officer!" I boiled at him.

Vervain smirked and raised his paw, as I should be executed for the escape.

"That's enough, Vervain! That's enough for one day." Campion told him.

Vervain furiously hopped away. "Just wait, until you're back in your quarters."

Campion dismisses the others, as they headed back to _Efrafa_. He than let me go and I shrugged away from him. "I don't you be able to deal with this. I know with it everyday."

"I spoke with Hazel and he's still going to get you out." Campion spoke.

"What about Tyler? Is he alright?" I asked if he got back safely.

"He did. Apparently, to Hazel, as he's in shock about to hear of Tyler as a human." Campion said.

"He what?"

"He revealed himself to him only. I'm not sure he would say it in front of everyone." he answered.

"Did he?" I asked.

"I don't know, but I'm sure he would eventually when this charade is over." Campion wasn't sure.

"I need to do something, if you let go, I'll they could cancel the operation." I suggested.

"It's too late, I would be meeting with him soon, but it's already coordinated. They won't back down." he added.

I sighed.

"Cheer up, lad." Campion patted me on the back. "You'll be free before you know by tonight."

"But I'll be losing three rabbits, whom I befriended since I came here." I sadly said to myself, as I was being escorted back to _Efrafa_.

After arriving back to _Efrafa_ , Campion escorted me to a burrow, under Woundwart's order. I was sent to a prisoner's burrow where I was confined for the remainder of the day, until the evening. Minutes after my arrival, Vervain and his _Owsla_ companions had beaten me with their paws and tied me up to the wall with roots pulled from the ground.

"You're sentenced to be in the prisoner's quarters, until tonight. For your crime of escaping from _Efrafa_ with Bigwig, Primrose, and the others, and again attempting escape from _Efrafa_ and having Pipkin escape. THERE WILL BE NO MORE ESCAPES! Your final charge for your role for the constructing a revolt in _Efrafa_ that many of our brave _Owsla_ rabbits were killed." Vervain spoke, as he was SS-Hauptscharführer Gustav Wagner from _Escape From Sobibor_.

I was than subjected into a lashing from Vervain's claw, as I was a slave from the South in the 1840s, however more of Trip from _Glory_ that he faced a crime from trying to find shoes for his feet, only to be whipped. Only though, I was trying to escape for freedom and managed to get Pipkin out of there, but now I'll be facing the consequences for those actions. It was about after fifteen lashes I was grown weary and weak, that I fainted, as my legs pulled me down to the ground.

I couldn't remember how I came back awake, but it was empty. I was also on the ground and no longer bound to the vines. It may in fact be around the evening that I'm about to do the exchange. I sniffled in tears, as I'm about to lose Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig to Woundwart because of my mistake. If I hadn't went on beating Vervain, I probably would have catch up with Pipkin and escaped together. I began to picture that I should have stay back with my family, instead of going on this trip. However, due to my misfortune of events, I wouldn't be able to return to family, despite having faith and dreams that keep me alive. I laid down to see if I could fall back asleep, if my wounds would help me end this nightmare.

* * *

"Prisoner! Wake up at once!"

I was than shook by Vervain, as Campion and the _Owsla_ were present.

"It's time, lad." Campion said.

A tear fell from my eye, as I was still here and I prefer to be dead than Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig giving themselves up for me. It would bring nothing, but guilt, as it overcome me. I tried to get up, but my legs were tired from the running and apparently standing to be beaten from Vervain.

"Blindfold him." Vervain ordered. "I don't want him to get any ideas of escaping."

A rabbit tied my hands with vines and blindfolded me, as a terrorist would blindfold a hostage, if it comes to negotiations.

"Vervain, that is unnesscary!" Campion protested.

"Captain Campion, I don't have to remind you that these were The General's orders." Vervain exclaimed.

Campion remained firmly silent, as they proceeded on to bind me and blindfolded me with vines and thin roots. The roots bounded my hands, as the vines covered my eyes.

"So much of a 'man' being traded by the three best rabbits from the outsiders' warren. They'll look down at him, when he returns." one of the _Owsla_ rabbits joked that caused them and Vervain to laugh. I didn't hear Campion's and I wasn't sure his reaction was.

"Alright, that's enough!" Campion shouted and the laughter stopped. I than hear he come close to me. "Just follow the sound of my voice."

He than took lead, as I followed and didn't have the slightest clue where I was going, as the vines tightened my eyes shut. I was still slightly weak to walk that I would fall on my knees or fall to the ground. I would hear shouts from Vervain to hurry up, only before Campion would get me back on my feet, as he get ridiculed by Vervain.

"Just follow me, we'll be there soon." Campion assured me.

We continued on until I could feel the breeze that we're outside and we stopped as it was near the warren's main hall entrance. I than heard what I suspect was General Woundwart. While I was rocking myself sideways because standing in a certain in periods of time that it was slightly difficult to stand straight without moving. I felt my switchblade was still in there that _Efrafa_ rabbits had forgot to search my other pocket. If I was blindfold and bind free, I would probably take vengeance in my own hands, from what he had me live in a hellish nightmare for the last three days.

"Move out." I than heard Woundwart ordered us to follow. "Tight formation."

I was than being escorted to my fate that I would be let go for the swap, have me executed for allowing Pipkin to escape, or more of their darker plans that I thought to myself that it would be more sinister. I noticed that two rabbits were near me, so they wouldn't have me run off and they could capture me again. At this stage, I was too weak to run and it was too late, as the exchange would commence soon.

"You may have to climb on this lad." I heard Campion's voice.

I than try to reach with my hands to feel what it was. I felt hard, stones that maybe a hedge of stones. I climbed myself up and carefully I tried to watch my step, as I walked slowly and tried to reach my hands out to see if I was reaching for someone or about to hit someone. However, without anyone to watch my step, I fell to the ground, as I tripped my feet. I could hear most of the _Efrafa_ _Owsla_ rabbits laugh and mock, until Woundwart silenced them.

He than headed his way out, as I could hear Campion's voice calling out to Woundwart. I wasn't sure what it was, but I didn't want to know or even care. I was than turned around, only until seconds later my hands were free. I tried to reach my head, where the vines blinded me.

"No!" Vervain slapped on my hands. "You're hands are the only to be set free."

He than turned me around where I was supposed to go and I started to walk forward, without knowing where I was going. I decided to keep my head down, as I'm ashamed to be swapped. Woundwart tried to rush me, but being blindfolded I could tell where I was going, so I had to take my time without running and bumping into someone by accident.

I than reached my hands to know what's ahead of me. Only about a few short minutes, my hands than were than touched by someone. I started go on the sides to feel they were paws. I started to picture it's a rabbit. I continued to go upwards to feel he's a bit taller than I am. I his face slightly small without feeling any extra fur, except fur that was on his neck. I than reached for the vines and I tried to pull it upwards, but it was too tighten that it would only pull my hair and create tension.

"Bigwig, Fiver, bit through the vines to make it loose." I heard a voice, that was recognizable.

It brought me comfort and assurance that I knew whose voice it was. Until the vines were loose from the bites, I broke it apart to have my eyes being opened to see it was Hazel in front of me. His face was sadden, but relieved that I was back with them. Tears flow in my eyes that I was seeing someone, whose a close friend and I'm reunited. My hands reached towards his cheeks and unexpectedly I embraced him in arms without tightening him, like I found a lost friend or a lost stuffed animal that I haven't seen for a long time.

"I'm sorry." I apologized continuously that I let them out. "Please don't leave I beg of you."

"Now surrender, Hazel!" Woundwart called out. "You can't escape!"

"That's what the fox said to _El-ahrairah_." Hazel spoke.

Than we looked up to see flocks of bats were covering the night sky and Kehaar along side with them and a few birds, as they attack General Woundwart and his _Owsla_. We started to fall back and I than stopped to watch the ambush. Woundwart ordered his _Owsla_ to charge, after they followed command, they ended up following into pits. I saw Campion observing it, before he hopped into a hole. I looked over by the tree to see moles were digging up the tree, before I looked back to Woundwart was charging up towards me. I searched for my pocket for my switchblade, but he didn't make it far enough, as the tree falls to his side and trapping him.

I walked towards the collapsed tree to see Woundwart trying to free himself. He than looked up at me, as I was going to end his life here and now.

"I know you wanted to do. Do it! You would be like no other 'man' who murders rabbits." Woundwart said.

I grabbed by his ears and I was about to give him the stab, but before it touched his face in a mere inch. I felt a strain that it was holding me back from killing.

 _What I'm doing?! Let go! He needs to die!_ I thought to myself.

 _That's not who you are! You're blind in rage! You know better!_ I heard a second thought of myself that I was being restrained from killing him.

"It's too late! Run!" Hazel shouted. "Andrew, we need to go now!"

My hand was in grip with my switchblade, until I tossed it far away where I stand. My heart began to beat rapidly from pressure.

"I know you couldn't do it." Woundwart said. "You never had an instinct to fight or kill. You're weak!"

My anger boiled over that I knocked him out in the face with a kick, before I joined Hazel and the others.

* * *

We got near to the woods, where the _Efrafa_ _Owsla_ wouldn't find us. We stopped for a rest, as Kehaar said his farewell and waved goodbye to his flying bird brothers, as they were heading back to their nests and homes.

I shivered with traumatic stress and at the same time slightly relieved that I escaped from _Efrafa_ from Hazel and the warren's help.

"You had Woundwart dead to rights. Why didn't you finish it?!" Bigwig questioned.

I remained silent, as tears came out quickly than before.

"Oh stop those tears! You're 'man' and they don't cry!" Bigwig shouted over me.

"That's enough, Bigwig!" Hazel shouted. "He's been through enough."

I couldn't say anything because I was full of fear and traumatic stress that I was without words.

"Andrew, can you hear us?" Fiver tried to get my attention. "Andrew?"

I breathed quickly and quickly that I covered my face with my hands in shame. "I should have been gone!"

They were paralyzed from what I said. "I shouldn't come back to your warren, after I been through! Do you even know what they did to me?!"

They looked at each other with grief faces.

"DO YOU?!" I shouted at them. "Beaten, scratched, ridiculed, and nearly starved to have them give them information where your warren is! Pipkin and Tyler were questioned also! We could have died for you! Tyler was set free by Woundwart! Pipkin escaped with my help to get back to you! They deserved to be returned back to the warren, I don't! If you were traded over, I could have bare myself in front of everyone and I would killed myself!"

"You should never say such things! Killing yourself is never the option!" Fiver exclaimed.

"Well I didn't do it at _Efrafa_ , didn't I?! Well I don't so!" I exclaimed back, as I wiped myself with tears.

"Andrew..." Hazel came to my side and gave me hug, as I buried my face into his fur. "It's alright. Tyler and Pipkin are safe back with us, with your help."

"I didn't do anything for Tyler. He did it for himself." I said.

"You did. You went after them, as they were taken to the river and continued your search for them, until you found them in _Efrafa_. You stayed by their side, until Tyler was freed and you helped Pipkin escaped." Hazel comforted me.

"No other _Owsla_ rabbit couldn't have that much courage of a rabbit to have one of his fellow rabbit escaped from capture." Bigwig gave me credit.

"And you talked yourself into a sense that taking revenge on him is not an option." Fiver added.

I let Hazel go so I could breathe in and out, before I could say another word. "I guess I'm with the best of friends that I ever have."

They than smiled and nodded their heads.

"Still... I can't cope of the experience on my own." I added.

"We'll help you anywhere we can." Hazel was committed to help me go through the post traumatic stress. "Now let's go back home. Tyler wanted to say a few words also."

I than almost forgot that Tyler was going to relieve himself at a certain point. I just hoped they don't take it hard, as Pipkin was the first to be told that, until he reconciled with him, before Tyler was released. As we began our journey back, I looked up to see the skies were clear, the stars were brightened as ever, and the moon was more brighter than the stars and it was full.

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas in this episode.


	41. Episode 14: Prisoners of Efrafa Part 4

Prisoners of Efrafa Part 4

As soon we climbed up the down and reached towards the warren's entrance, I wasn't suspecting that Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig would be there to be by my side for my return.

"Well... welcome home, lad." Bigwig cheered.

I slightly looked down. Bigwig than remembers about myself wanting to return home. "Sorry lad."

"It's fine. I'm happy to be back at Watership Down. It'll be more happier if I would be able to return home." I said.

Hazel patted my shoulders. We entered into the warren and follow the path to the Honeycomb where everyone is present. I even saw Tyler with Clover and Gilia, and Pipkin alongside with Tyler. Sandy was relieved in tears that I'm returned alive. The other bucks in the warren were shocked and surprised that I managed to live through days in _Efrafa_.

"I'm sorry you all have to go through with this to rescue us." I apologized.

Sandy came up to me with a hug and a kiss. "There's nothing you need to forgive about this."

Everyone else nodded their heads. My heart felt warmed from them showing compassion and love.

Blackberry came to me and noticed the wounds I have endured. "You might have to come with and I'll fix you up in no time."

"Wait... I wanted to see with Tyler." I said.

Tyler took a deep breath and slightly shivered. Pipkin and I knew what he was going to say. However, it seemed that he's unbearable to say because of everyone's reaction.

"It's alright, deary." Clover comforted her son. "I'll speak on his behalf." Tyler nodded and accepted.

"Tyler was also human." Clover stated.

Everyone in the warren gasped in surprise, Pipkin, Hazel, Bigwig, and myself wasn't fully surprised that I knew that he was human from what Clover told me. Hawkbit was shocked and stormed away to his burrow. Everyone spoke on the side, as some say why didn't he speak of it and others slightly dismissed it, because of the long days of our captivity in _Efrafa_. Soon after, Hazel calmed everyone down and told them that we have two other humans among them: Sandy and myself.

Blackberry decided to have me escorted with Sandy's help to my burrow, as everyone chatted.

"Are you feeling any pain at the moment?" Blackberry asked.

I nodded. "My back stings from the scratches and my head."

We than arrived at my burrow, where I was being taken to my bed. Blackberry than had Sandy fetch some herbs for my back. I took off my torn shirt and laid on the bed on my front.

Blackberry was disgusted and sadden from what I was treated in _Efrafa_. "You're safe now, Andrew. You're safe."

I continued to hear Vervain's voice in my head from my harsh punishments. I tried to shake my head and cover my ears from hearing his voices in my head. It was only minutes, until Sandy removed my hands from covering my ears and gave me a kiss on the cheek, although she was a rabbit at night, but I still picture her as a woman. I than set my hands to the ground, as Blackberry is applying some herbs on my back. I decided to fall asleep, as I was being healed. I than heard a hop coming into my burrow,as I lifted my head up to see Tyler in tears.

"Tyler, what's wrong?" I asked.

He was in tears. "I was on my to my burrow. I than overheard a conversation that Hazel, Bigwig, and Hawkbit were having an argument."

"What happened?" Sandy asked.

"Hawkbit told them that I was a lair and spoke behind everyone's back." Tyler tearfully said.

"That's not true! You're not even a lair, you were afraid to tell them, who you really are. There's nothing wrong with that." I assured.

"I don't know... Hawkbit was a father to me. Now I feel like he isn't."

Sandy and I looked at him with worry. "Look, I'll try to speak to him, in the morning."

"When you're better." Blackberry reminded me.

"Right, when I'm better. You should go see your mother and try to get some sleep." I told him.

"Well... I suppose so." Tyler said and sadly turned away and headed on his way.

I sighed. "I hate when they take it seriously over small things. It's ridiculous!"

"Hawkbit is probably upset about it and he'll get over it." Blackberry said.

"I hope so." I worried.

"Now try to get some sleep, you'll feel much better in the morning." Blackberry said.

"Thank you." I thanked her, as she left my burrow and I turned towards Sandy. "You're staying here tonight?"

"Why not? Besides you been through a lot and you needed somebody." she smiled.

I than yawned. "Alright. We'll call it the night. I like to get my back better sooner than later."

She came to my side, as I closed my eyes and fall asleep. I felt warm from her fur, as I had to let my back be uncovered for the herbs to apply overnight.

* * *

In the middle of the night, Tyler woke up in the middle of the night with his mother by his side to comfort him from the argument that he overheard. He quietly got up and wrote a message on the dirt, quietly without waking up his mother. He left the burrow and hopped silently towards his way to the warren's entrance, as he peeked through the burrows nearby on his way to see everyone else was asleep, including Gilia, who was with Hazel, Primrose, Snowdrop, and Mallow. He even gave her a paw blow kiss to say his goodbye to her, without coming into the burrow and waking them up.

He made his way to the warren's entrance where he looked back for one last time to see the path of the tunnel that leads to the warren.

"Goodbye you guys, and goodbye Mom. Thanks for everything." Tyler said with a sad smile, before a tear fell from his eye that he wiped his tear away. He than left the warren and disappeared into the night, as the moon and stars are still brightened to guide his way.

* * *

In the morning, I woke up to see Sandy, back in her human form, held onto me. I smiled, as it was the first morning back to Watership Down. Although, my sleep wasn't pleasant, as I dreamed that I was back in _Efrafa_ and I was continued to be tortured by Vervain, until I expired. The voices of his continued to drown in my mind and I couldn't be able to make it go away.

"Andrew."

I heard a voice and I turned around to see it was Clover by the burrow's entrance, as she noticed that I wasn't slightly full awake yet.

"Oh, please forgive me." she apologized.

"No, it's fine. I just woke up." I yawned and stretched. "Something wrong?"

"You haven't seen Tyler did you?"

"No I haven't, except last night." I said.

"That's odd. Tyler always sings his special song when he wakes up." she said.

I got up and put on my shirt to cover the wound and pants on, before helping her to search for Tyler, as she got everyone awake to help her search for him. I even woke up Sandy.

"Sandy, I think Tyler's missing." I gently shook her up.

"Hmmm... what?" she than spoke.

I quietly gasped that her voice came back. "Sandy? You spoke?!"

She woke up. "What did you say?"

"You just spoke to me and you're human again!" I was surprised.

She than looked at her hands and looked all the way down to her feet. "This can't be true! I have to be dreaming!"

"Something happened last night." I said.

She nodded her head. "Let's go find Tyler and worry about this later."

I nodded my head and we started our search for him. When we left the burrow, everyone was full awake and started their search. Sandy and I did our first search outside where he would normally be early in the morning, but he wasn't anywhere in sight, as I still see the makeshift flag still hanging on the tree. We continued to search around the down where he still wasn't anywhere in sight.

"I think he ran away." I said.

Sandy shockingly looked at me and I had to stop the search. I even believe that Clover would know of it by now, if not everyone is having any luck to finding him. We headed back to the warren and tell Clover about our search. We all gathered at The Honeycomb, as Hazel announced that Tyler was missing. Everyone continued their search, as Clover left to her burrow, as Blackberry followed. I knew the search would be slightly hopeless because if Tyler ran away, there has to be a solution to the reason why he ran.

I could only think that it has to do with Hawkbit ranting to Hazel and Bigwig, about Tyler's secret.

"What are you going to do?" Sandy grabbed my hand.

"Go continue to find them, I'll... go speak to Clover." I told her and she went back to help with the rest of the rabbits to continue on their search.

I headed my way to Clover's burrow, where I found her in tears, as Blackberry tries to comfort her.

"We'll find him soon." Blackberry comforts her.

I decided not to say, as it would be devastating enough that her heart is broken from Tyler leaving.

"Good morning all, what's happening?"

The three of us turned around to see Hawkbit just waking up, as he approached to Clover's burrow. I didn't say anything, but to give him the look.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

I sighed. "You know damn well, what!"

He was clueless. "I don't know, tell me."

"Tyler ran away because you ranted about him!" I exclaimed.

"But-but he wasn't there! That's impossible!" Hawkbit stuttered.

"Apparently he had to get that idea somewhere." Blackberry added.

Clover cringed and hopped towards him. "At least now we know who to blame for Tyler running away."

She than hops away, as Blackberry goes after her. It was me and Hawkbit left alone in her burrow, as he started feel very little guilt.

"I guess you'll rant on also, right?" he asked.

I sighed with disappointment that maybe he shouldn't be considered to be a father. "You really shouldn't be a father, if you're going to be abrasive and talked behind his back. It'll only hurt your relationship between you and Tyler."

"I didn't know what to say, I was angry that he lied to me!" Hawkbit exclaimed.

"I know. Every parent doesn't like being lied too. You could say that he could have brought it up before, but in the end; how would Tyler feel and why didn't he brought it up before. He was probably nervous that he would lost trust on all of us." I explained and recalled times that everyone, including myself lied to my parents to escape trouble or make more trouble.

He than started to feel guilty from the blame is getting put on him. "What should I do?"

"Go help and find him now, but if we can't we just have to pray and hope that he's safe." I answered.

* * *

Hawkbit snuffled, as he didn't show a tear, but guilt. He went off to start his search for his son while mumbling for what he has done. I exited out of the burrow and still knowing the inevitable for he's a runaway kitten. Hazel and Gilia came up to me, hopefully for some news.

"Any luck?" I asked.

Gilia looked up at her father, as he sadly shook his head. "No where near at the down, as his traces were lost."

"I don't think we could find him, if he's that far away." I sadly put it.

"How could you say that?!" Gilia questioned.

"The reason because if a child runs away, they would normally try to distance themselves away from their home, even if it's close or far from home." I explained.

"We basically knew that he was human." Hazel spoke.

I than looked at him. "What?"

"Gilia told me and we decided not to say anything and keep it as a secret, until Tyler decided to tell the truth." Hazel said.

 _Flashback begins_

Tyler was being escorted by Campion where Hazel was going to meet regarding to the rescue operation on the night of the exchange.

"Tyler!" Hazel saw Tyler was being brought by Campion.

"He was let go by General Woundwart." Campion told Hazel.

"Thank _Frith_ , you're alright." Hazel was relieved.

Tyler was silent, since after he left and before than telling Pipkin about his human origin. "Hazel, I need to be honest with you."

Campion dismissed himself to give them privacy and they'll meet again. "What's wrong?" Hazel asked.

"I told Pipkin that I'm human. I even didn't say it to all of you that I lied in front of everyone." Tyler said, as he felt guilt. "I came from the same world that Andrew was, except I'm was an orphan, until I died and brought back to life by _The Black Rabbit_. It was before, I was taken to _Efrafa_ , and eventually escaping before you guys rescued me and Clover, as I lived with her at the farm after my escape."

Hazel felt like he was expecting it. "Tyler... you don't have to feel guilty for not telling it to everyone. Gilia told me about you."

"She did?" Tyler shockingly asked.

"Just to me. We decided not to say any of this to anyone and let you to speak about it." Hazel added.

Tyler shook his head. "I guess I need to speak about this soon."

"We'll wait, until we get Pipkin and Andrew out of _Efrafa_. Let's get you home." Hazel smiled and gave him a hug, before they journeyed back to Watership Down.

 _Flashback_ _ended_

"He decided to wait until last night to speak about his human origin." Hazel finishes.

I than remembered that Clover told me about his past. "I guess I was told about him too, except it was Clover and I decided to not say anything about it."

"Let's continue our search. He still should be around further by the down." Hazel refused to give.

The three of us continued to join with the rest of the warren to search for Tyler. We took a whole day to expand our search further, until we decided to stop, as we were near _Efrafa's_ bridge and also we're further away from our warren. The sun began to set and we called off the search to conclude that he's still missing, but not presumed dead. I wouldn't thought he would turn out dead, unless I seen him. However, most of the does and some bucks, knew that being a young-ling that he won't last long, but we couldn't forget that he has great fighting skills that he could defend himself. For now, we had to pray and hope that one of these days that we would find Tyler or he would come back to our warren with open arms.

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas in this episode. Stay Tuned for the next episode... Please write your thoughts about the series so far and more of it to come on this Second Season.


	42. Episode 15: The Roundabout Part 1

The Roundabout Part 1

The warren was grief stricken from Tyler running away in the middle of the night. Also, my grief took matters worst, since after we stopped searching for Tyler, I wondered about the sick, _Efrafan_ rabbit named Lush. I haven't seen him since I rescued him. After we gave up our search of Tyler, I came to Blackberry and asked her, since I didn't get my chance to ask, if he was recovered from his illness. Sadly, Blackberry told me that they did everything they could to save him, but he stopped running. I never wanted to give up any hope of saving Lush, after Vervain and his _Owsla_ left him to die, I hoped that he could have tried to done something to keep himself alive... until I could think that he gave up all hope. On the contrary, Blackberry told me by the time of his death, he was warm and cared to the up to Blackberry's abilities to help him recover. She mentions that since he was starving for so long that he couldn't be able to eat, because he was too weak to move or even try to bite out of a _flayrah_. The guilt was on my shoulders because if I was not captured by Woundwart and _Efrafa_ , I could have saved Lush.

Since after Tyler ran away and Lush died, I didn't even fall asleep for the next two days. I just remained in my burrow. Didn't even go out to see everyone, or even wanting to eat anything. I was grieved by guilt from my rescue from Woundwart and letting Lush down that his rescue was in vain. As for everyone else, they continued on to live on the down, as soon their grief was over. I decided it was time for me to leave my burrow and try to be outside, because when ever I try to remain in the burrow, I could found myself back in my burrow.

I got all dressed and took whatever I had with me for the importance and headed my way out of the warren. Some of the rabbits were just socializing in the warren, before I followed the entrance's path that lead outside. When I got out, I saw Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig, and Strawberry eating some tall grass during their _silflaying_. I continued on to walk past them, as they were eating and I sat down at the edge of the down looking towards the distance. I looked up to see Kehaar was flying by and dropped what it appears to be a turnip, before he flies off. I pulled out my phone to see no other calls were made since my last receiving call from Mom, while I was held captive.

 _I hope you don't worry about it too much Mom._ I said to myself.

"Good morning, Andrew."

I turned around in a small surprise to see it was Pipkin. "Sorry if I scared you."

"No... not at all. Sorry I was having a solitude moment." I said.

"Oh, I could give you some space if you want." Pipkin offered.

Appreciative from his offer, but I shook my head. "It's alright, I have been in my burrow long enough that I hardly been outside anymore."

Pipkin still remembers about our captive days in _Efrafa_ and Tyler's departure from the down. "Are you sure? You don't seem to be yourself."

"Not really. I just had to get out of the warren, I have been cooped up in my burrow long enough since... how many days." I said.

"About nearly four days. Everyone seemed worried that you going through turmoil of recovering." Pipkin worried.

"Yep. Being rescued from _Efrafa_ , Tyler leaving, and-"

"Lush's passing." Pipkin finished my sentence, before he took a bite of a turnip.

I nodded. "Yep... even his passing." I continued to shook my head, as if I go could go back in time to tend him, rather than leaving him behind to be cared.

"You could have done more."

"Well... seems like I didn't do enough." I sadly stated.

He continued to eat, until Hawkbit and Dandelion arrived at the down.

"Well pardon me lad that's-" Hawkbit spoke to Pipkin, before he turned towards me in disbelief that I was showing my face again.

"You been in your burrow long." Dandelion pointed out.

"Surprised?" I questioned, before I let out a quiet sigh.

"I'm sorry Hawkbit." Pipkin apologized.

"No, it's alright. You can have it." Hawkbit insisted.

Pipkin resumed eating, as Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, and Strawberry came over.

"I told he could have it." Bigwig explained to Hawkbit and Dandelion. Soon after, everyone stared at me in surprise that I was out of my burrow finally.

"You're out!" Fiver was relieved.

"We probably thought you could have decided to leave-" I looked at Hawkbit, as I thought it was uncalled from what he was trying to say that I would follow suite like Tyler did. "I'm sorry. Never mind."

"I had to get out of the burrow, it's too quiet, stuffy, and too warm. I could have been able to sleep much." I explained.

"Maybe you should try to rest out here. It might help, better than trying to sleep in your burrow." Hazel suggested.

I shrugged my shoulders with uncertain what I was going to do or try to sleep. However, since I'm out, it's best that I should try to stay up. "It's fine. I might as well stay around the warren's boundaries without going too much off."

"Good. Maybe he could be a decent _Owsla_ rabbit to grab some _flayrah._ As for Pipkin, he should try to get his own." Hawkbit said.

"They can't leave the warren!" Hazel exclaimed.

"If Woundwart and Vervain caught them again, it'll be the end of them." Fiver added.

I started to hear flashbacks of Woundwart and Vervain during my capture. Mostly Vervain's when he tries to torture me to get me to break and gave him the location of our warren. I placed my hands towards my ears, while falsely trying to placing them in my head.

Hawkbit and Dandelion soon hopped away, as Hawkbit mumbled about getting kidnapped by Woundwart. Pipkin became spooked also from what Hawkbit said.

"Don't mind them, lads." Bigwig assured us. "We'd better get on patrolling."

He than order to move out for patrol around the warren.

"Fiver and I'll would stay behind." Hazel said to Bigwig.

"Very well than, Strawberry, it's going to be just you and me. Move out!" Bigwig than ordered.

"I'll come too." Pipkin wanted to join. It didn't take too long, before Bigwig stopped him.

"You heard, Hazel. You're sticking close to home." Bigwig instructed Pipkin.

"Forever?" Pipkin questioned with a sigh.

"Until I say otherwise, now be good." Bigwig said, before he and Strawberry headed out for patrol.

Hazel and Fiver stayed behind and they looked back towards me.

"You wanted to talk about it?" Hazel asked.

"Sure, unless you two wanted to join the patrol." I said.

"They'll be fine." Hazel assured.

"Perhaps, we could find a spot to talk." Fiver suggested.

"Not at the warren, that's for sure. Maybe by the brook." I said.

"Very well." Hazel said.

Before we headed off, we noticed that Pipkin was hold up by Blackberry and Clover.

"There's our brave little fellow." Blackberry said.

"Just look at you Pipkin, you're a sight. We'll have you clean and tidy in a wink." Clover said, as she rubbed her paw on his ears.

I quietly giggled that Pipkin was going to be cleaned and he had a disappointed look, as he had to stay behind and had to be cleaned by the does. I'm sure Clover would be the one doing, as if she was doing Tyler's cleaning.

* * *

The three of us: Hazel, Fiver, and myself went passed the warren, where we came towards the willow tree and went about a few feet. We than stopped, as it was near our boundary lines. We than sat by the water, as I took off my shoes and placed my feet in the water. I looked at the water's path that goes towards the distance.

"How are you feeling?" Hazel asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Not the greatest. I couldn't have fallen asleep for two days and I haven't been out of my burrow."

"You really have kept yourself alone recently." Fiver added.

I sniffled, as tears may start to fall out. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I should be happy that I'm free. Except I'm feeling nothing, but guilt."

"Andrew, you couldn't done more and you were held captive with Tyler and Pipkin. You three stayed together, until you're the last." Hazel said.

"Is it worth, for Lush dying alone, if I wasn't there?" I questioned.

Hazel was disappointed and Fiver was in shock and disbelief.

"I cannot believe you what you said." Hazel disappointed. "You know that Lush wasn't alone. Blackberry took the best of her abilities to look after him, until he stopped running. That includes trying to search for Tyler."

I looked down and I didn't know what else to say. "I just wish I didn't have to gone through it."

"We all have to go through things in life we're not proud of." Fiver said. "You just have to remember that you're not to be blame."

"Than why do I still do?" I asked him.

Fiver became silent, as if he doesn't have an answer or a vision come to him.

"Just try to relax, try to do something that could help you not thinking about days past." Hazel suggested. "Later, you'll be able to move on."

I started to move my feet and the water was just at the right temperature and I decided to take off my shirt and emptied my pant pockets.

"What are you doing?" Hazel asked.

"Doing like you said, try to do something that could help me not think about the terrible past events and try to move on." I said.

I than leaped into the water, before swimming underwater, as I'm reliving a memory that I always enjoy swimming in swimming pools that my we used to own a swimming pool. When I resurfaced started to hear the flashbacks of being held in _Efrafa_. I than go deep into the water, as the hearing of the flashbacks becomes muffled and hear nothing but the water. I was still in the water for about two minutes and felt like I was reserving peace. My breath started to run out that I quickly swam back up to the surface.

Soon after I resurfaced and swam back on land, the eerie flashbacks ceased. I climbed up on the land and put back my shirt on, as I continued to breath slightly quickly, as I was catching my breath.

"Did it help?" Hazel asked.

"I thought it did." I answered. "I'll try my best not to think about it, until later I could bring it up in the future."

Hazel nodded his head, as Fiver smiled.

"Thanks for your guys help. I really need it." I thanked them both.

"We're here for you, Andrew." Fiver placed his paw on my shoulder. "Like you said, we're friends and we help each other."

I shook my head, as I still remembered that we're here for each other. "Say Fiver, have you ever learn how to swim?"

"Not very much. I'm not a good swimmer." Fiver answered.

Hazel and I looked at each other. "I think it's time. Even starting from the shallow to the little deep end."

Fiver was clueless and unsure. "I not too sure about it."

"How about a try? Hazel and I could help you." I said.

"Not a bad idea." Hazel agreed.

I took off my shirt and got back in the water, as Hazel got into the water. We got to the edge where Fiver is trying to get, but he was slightly worried that he would drown. He took a deep breath and slowly got into the water, as he was quickly kicking his feet to keep himself above the water.

"Not bad at all." I complimented, as I got close to him and held onto him, as Hazel was next to us.

"Alright, try to kick slowly and use your paws to swim." Hazel instructed Fiver. Fiver did what Hazel instructed and it was a good start.

"Now do it slowly like following the water's rhythm. We're not going to let you go, until ten seconds and give a try." I said.

Fiver shook his head. "I'll try."

He started to slowly use his feet and paws to keep himself afloat. After ten seconds, we had confidence that he could keep himself afloat. Fiver manages to do exactly what Hazel and I taught him to do. We continued on to have him swim at a certain direction without going further out. He started to gain the hang of swimming that we than decided to do a short race to the other side of the land across from us. Surprisingly, he managed to out swim us and made it to the other side at ease. Soon afterwards, we just splashed around like kids playing in the pool.

"Hazel!"

We stopped and listened to hear who was calling Hazel.

"Hazel!" we listened to it again to know that it was Bigwig.

He came towards us and saw us swimming in the brook. "We have visitors from Cowslip's Warren."

"Oh no." I fear that Cowslip must have found us.

"Maybe other rabbits from his warren that wanted to leave." Fiver said.

"One way to find out." Hazel said, as we than got out of the water. After we dried ourselves off, well except me as I put on my shirt, we followed Bigwig to the warren.

* * *

When we got in there was two other rabbits with Strawberry. One of them was apparently a doe with light tan orange fur and another was light bright yellow buck.

"Oh, you must be Hazel! We have been searching for your warren!" the doe spoke.

"We want to leave Cowslip's Warren and we need your help. Please." the buck asked for our help.

We figured that eventually some of the rabbits would try to leave Cowslip's cult like warren. Strawberry introduced them to us as the doe was Marigold and the buck was Hickory.

"Are you guys going to try to live here?" I asked.

"Maybe not, but maybe you two could start out your warren." Hazel suggested. "A warren close to us."

"By yourselves?" Blackberry questioned.

"Well, there many of us in Cowslip's Warren, but we couldn't all leave without Cowslip noticing." Marigold spoke.

"We hoped you'd show us how to live in the wild, then we teach our friends." Hickory said.

"When we're ready, we'll all leave Cowslip's Warren together." Marigold added.

"Never a bad idea and also we could have neighbors." I said.

"It's a hard job building a warren. You'd have a lot to learn." Bigwig stated.

"We don't care. We can't live in the shadow of the shining wire any longer." Marigold went on.

"Like Andrew say about neighbors, it'll be nice." Hazel agreed from what I said, as Bigwig realized and followed along.

"And allies. Two warrens against _Efrafa_ is better than one."

"Too soon to say something like that." I said.

"What about moving them to my old warren." Primrose suggested a new home for Marigold and Hickory.

"Capital idea!" Captain Broom agreed. "Shame to think good ol' Redstone sitting empty."

"It's settle than. We'll all help." Hazel decided that we all pitch in to help them giving them a new home, but first we had to teach them to live in the wild first.

"Can I come with you to Redstone?" Pipkin hopped in and asked to join our help. "I can show them to talk to the other animals."

Hickory and Marigold looked at each other clueless.

"Sorry Pipkin, maybe another time." Hazel apologized and insisted that he should stay.

Marigold and Hickory than looked at me, as I looked back at them.

"Since when do rabbits have a human in your warren?" Hickory wondered.

"How about you having Kiefer Sutherland's voice?" I asked.

"Who?" he asked.

"He's an actor. Also, it's a long story on how I got here." I went on.

Than they looked at each other, as if they haven't seen a human before.

"What a minute! I think I do remember you being in Cowslip's Warren before." Marigold recalled.

"You do?"

"Yes, after a young rabbit left and other rabbits, whom I didn't know at the time, until one of them was Hazel. I saw a human and apologized about Silverweed's poems." she mentioned.

"I guess you did saw my exit." I joked.

She giggled from my good humor.

"Ah, we had grand times at Redstone: fighting off stoops, raiding farms on the far side of the road, dodging owls on moonlit nights." Captain Broom recalled his glory days back at Redstone, before he hopped away.

"But, it's not fun and games." Bigwig added.

"What does he mean by that?" Hickory asked me.

"Basically, they're just saying that there's excitement when you live on your own, as well as dangers." I explained to them.

Soon after the meeting, Hawkbit, Dandelion, and Kehaar looked after Hickory and Marigold, as well as training them to handle the outside life. I decided to stay back, as I really didn't want to avoid another adventure after _Efrafa_. Hopefully, that Hickory and Marigold learn well on how to live away from their old warren. Despite of their optimism there could trials that they would face eventually.

 _To Be Continued..._


	43. Episode 15: The Roundabout Part 2

The Roundabout Part 2

Author's Note: Dear readers, I'm sorry this part took a long time for me to finish. I been working at work and also I'm working on a new story from a movie called _Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero_. Stay tuned for more episodes for the Watership Down series. Also for Sgt. Stubby story, coming soon when I'm finished or decided to start publishing finished chapters.

I wandered around the warren after Hawkbit and Dandelion had Marigold and Hickory to Redstone. I thought it was best that I should kick back and not worry about anything until I was well and I could join back to the _Owsla_. I lie back on the grass and put on some music on my phone and watched the cleared skies and scattered clouds roam. I began to think about my last days to months since my stay in Watership Down and hopefully at one point I wanted to escape and find my way back home. Bigwig came out of no where and he was looking for a spot to lie down.

"Looking for somewhere to lie down, I could move if you want." I offered him my spot.

"No need lad. I'll make myself a spot." he assured me.

He lied down and relaxes his head and shoulder on the boulder and yawned.

"Comfy?" I asked.

"Lovely. What's on your mind?" he answered and asked.

"I don't know and not sure. Been going through a lot lately. Hoping there's a way to find my home to my family again." I wasn't sure what to think, but feeling homesick.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll find your way. Now, just relax and enjoy a good nap." Bigwig said, before he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

I decided to join for a nap too. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep. However, my sleep didn't last long, when I heard someone climbing on top of the boulder. I turned around to see it was Pipkin.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm going to try to pounce on Bigwig." Pipkin said quietly.

"I wouldn't because he's trying to sleep." I warned Pipkin.

He turned away and looked at relaxed and sleeping Bigwig, probably dreaming. Pipkin positioned himself and jumped on Bigwig's stomach and he quickly was on his defense, until he realized it was only Pipkin.

"Hello Bigwig, were you asleep?" Pipkin asked with a smile.

"What did it look like." Bigwig answered.

"I told you Pipkin not to disturb him." I said with a stern tone, as I was trying to keep myself out of it.

"Let's play _Tail Tag_!" Pipkin wanted to play a game.

"I thought you went to play with with the kittens." I said.

"They couldn't keep up and I'm always ended up getting away. I'm too fast."

"We already did, and _Bobstones_ and _Rollin' Acorn_. Now I'm having a nap." Bigwig told Pipkin.

"But I'm bored and there's nothing to do." Pipkin moaned and an idea popped into his head, as he came close to Bigwig. "Let's go find some sweet, delicious and lovely clover."

"If you wanted clover, my dear boy, go find them yourself." Bigwig said.

"But I'm not allowed to go anywhere by myself, you know that." Pipkin reminded Bigwig, about his limitations of leaving the warren. Bigwig turned towards me.

"Don't look at me." I said.

Bigwig sighed. "Alright, come along than."

Pipkin sat down on the grass like a tired child that he's all warn out from playing. "I'm too tired now. You fetch me it."

I shook my head that Pipkin was trying to be a baby, at least not spoiled as Verruca Salt.

"Blackberry, Primrose." Bigwig called for them, as they were around the corner and they got his attention.

"What is it?" Primrose asked.

"Entertain this... little Pipkin for a while. I'm off to get him some dumb clover." Bigwig asked them to babysit Pipkin, as he goes to find Pipkin some clover.

"Lots of it!" Pipkin exclaimed with a smile to Bigwig, as he hops away.

I looked at Pipkin with a stern look. "What are you trying to do?"

"Nothing." Pipkin smiled, as he tries to hide his true intentions.

"Whatever it is, it won't work and you'll keep me out of it." I said, before I left Blackberry and Primrose to babysit Pipkin. I went over to another spot to relax somewhere else at the down.

It was more peaceful and quiet without trying to get myself into antic that Pipkin may tried to pull off.

* * *

After today, I joined everyone for a meal with some _flayrah_. Sandy and I decided that we should sleep in my burrow tonight. She embraced me in her arms, as I was still going through turmoil.

"You seemed to be feeling better than days before." she said.

"As it seems, I wanted to get it over with and move on with my life." I said.

"It'll be gone soon. Like what I have been through. Tonight, let's make it your last and you could move on from it." Sandy said.

I lightly smiled and we decided to have our romance night. It didn't take long of course after our kiss, we decided to fall asleep. Without noticing, we than started to hear someone hop into the burrow, hear a scratch, until a young that I we both heard it was someone young.

"I think Pipkin is in here." Sandy whispered.

"What?"

We both looked to see Pipkin was trying to sleep here.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I'm too afraid to sleep by myself. What if a fox came into the burrow, a weasel, or a badger?" Pipkin said.

"I'll tell you this: one there's no _elil_ that could sneak up on you, as you're safe deep in your burrow, second Sandy and I are... trying to have some time for ourselves." I explained to Pipkin without putting him down.

"Come on, Andrew. Just let him sleep with us, I remember how you have to sleep with your parents when you're little." Sandy said.

I sighed and shook my head. "Fine, as long you're not next to us and not taking too much space that won't be a problem. Now good to sleep."

Sandy and I went back. I couldn't be able to fall asleep right away, because Pipkin moved around the bed like a child is rolling on top of newspaper creating a nuisance. It also happened again later in the middle of the night, that I woke up to being kicked by Pipkin by his feet, as he was dreaming. It wouldn't be until an hour after being waken up by Pipkin that I fall back asleep for another hour to be kicked on again, until I finally fall back asleep and didn't wake up until morning, as I slightly moved off the bed.

* * *

When I woke up, I was alone with Pipkin in my burrow. Since he was fast asleep and also safe, I didn't bother to wake him up. My head was still hurting from Pipkin kicking me all night, and I remember watching an episode of _Family Matters_ year back that Carl Winslow was awoke from sleepwalking Steve Urkel hitting Carl on the head with a newspaper.

I decided to get dressed and head out to get some fresh air and have breakfast. I exited out of the warren to see Hazel and Bigwig _silflaying_ and eating some clover for breakfast.

"Good morning, lad." Bigwig greeted.

I yawned, as I still feel like I wasn't fully awake just yet. "I need coffee or hot chocolate."

"What?" Bigwig questioned.

"I... need... coffee or hot chocolate. It's what humans drink in the morning or throughout the day to keep them warm and/or awake."

"Did you sleep, alright? You seemed to be dream running last night." Hazel said.

I looked at them with a stern face. "Dreaming running? I dreamed about watching a movie called _Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero_. Next thing I know is that I was in the screen and I was with Stubby the dog. After he ended up giving me dog kisses, I was starting to getting kicks from the dog, only to wake up that Pipkin kicking me in the head while he was dreaming."

"You have to sleep to dream." Bigwig stated.

"What is going on with Pipkin? He seemed to be childish, remember yesterday Bigwig?"

"About what?"

"Remember he wanted some clover?" I recalled.

"Yes." Bigwig remembered.

"He ended up begging for you to search for it, as he pretended he was tired." I added.

Hazel and Bigwig looked at each other, and Bigwig sighed. "It's true."

"Maybe a some breakfast could wake you up." Hazel suggested.

"If not, I'll probably put on some 'nature noise' to make me fall asleep, if Pipkin sleeps in my burrow again." I said.

"'Nature noise'? You meaning from your phone?" Hazel questioned.

"Yes. Sometimes I put on some ocean noises to help me fall asleep at night." I explained.

Hazel nodded his head and the three of us started to eat some clover. However, I looked up to see Pipkin was coming out from the warren.

"Pipkin alert." I told Bigwig.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You don't want to look now, he's coming his way here." I warned him about Pipkin coming. Bigwig went back to eating his breakfast, before Pipkin came towards us.

"Andrew left me all alone." Pipkin complained.

"I just left to get some breakfast and I was hungry." I exclaimed calmly without bringing up about last night.

"I'm sure it wouldn't be very long ago when he came out." Hazel added, before the three of us continued with our breakfast.

Pipkin came back towards us to join us for breakfast. "I'm not supposed to be left on my own. Something terrible might happened to me."

"It may very well might, my lad." Bigwig said to Pipkin.

"Oh please, not in the middle of the morning and while eating breakfast." I said, before I went back to eating.

Later on in the morning, I was still with Hazel and Bigwig, as Hannah and Sandy joined us. We than heard a scream! We turned around to see it was only Pipkin.

"Oh, what now?" I moaned to myself, as he came his way toward us.

"What's up with your nose now, Pipkin?" Bigwig asked.

"I got to the edge. What if I hopped all the way down to the bottom?" Pipkin questioned.

"Oh what if you did? It might find some sense into your silly head." Hannah spoke.

"Than just go down there and see yourself!" I exclaimed.

Everyone looked at me, when I exclaimed.

"What's wrong Andrew?" Pipkin asked.

"Pipkin." Sandy came towards him. "Late last night, you came into his burrow, while the two of us were alone." As she tries to tell him what happened last night, Hazel and Bigwig looked at each other and chuckled, as they knew what Sandy and I were trying to do. "When we let you sleep in the burrow, you kept waking Andrew up in the middle of the night and repeatedly kicked him in the head, while you're dreaming."

"Oh. I'm sorry Andrew I had no idea that I was kicking you last night." Pipkin apologized as he pretended to be innocent, as a kitten.

I sighed and decided to let it go.

"Maybe you should go underground, where it is safe. Off you go. Scoot." Bigwig suggested to Pipkin.

We heard Kehhar shout, as he was nearby flying towards us. Pipkin pretended to think it was _elil_ , as he just ran all over the place, until he was stopped by Bigwig, as he had enough of Pipkin's childish antics.

"What is it, Kehaar?" Hazel asked.

"We got trouble, Hazel. Hickory stuck on the road, you got to come now!" Kehaar told us that Hickory is stuck in the middle of the road. I began to think that he couldn't cross from the cars coming by or he cannot cross at all, as he's in paralysis from the passing cars.

"Right, let's get a move on!" Hazel decided to go help Hickory. "Andrew, are you better to help?"

"It seems a urgent matter of an animal stuck on the road. Yes of course. I'm ready and better." I answered.

"Can I help?" Pipkin asked if he could come along and help.

"You?! You were afraid of your own shadow lately." Bigwig stated.

"I was only acting like a baby on purpose." Pipkin explained.

"WHAT?!" I shouted.

"It's true. You two were supposed to be tired of me and telling me to go off my own."

"We just wanted you to be safe." I spoke. "Meaning... don't get yourself or cause any... trouble. I mean Watership Down is your home."

"I know and I know that you're worried I'll get caught by _Efrafa_ , but you can't lock me up for something that might happen. It could happen to anyone!" Pipkin went on.

"You're right. How did you think I came cross paths with you guys and of course getting caught by _Efrafa_." I recalled on how I got here and of course getting caught by _Efrafa_. Anything could happen to either one of us in the unexpected moment.

"Alright, you made your point. You could come with us." Hazel made up his mind and had Pipkin join us.

"And all that kicking and snoring, you did that on purpose?" I asked.

"I don't know what you mean, Andrew. I slept like a baby." Pipkin forgot about the whole incident about waking me up in the middle of the night.

"Good grief." I said to myself in a Charlie Brown impersonation.

* * *

We arrived towards the road, where we were met by Marigold and Hawkbit. We saw that Hickory and Dandelion are across from us, as the cars on the road zoom fast on the road.

"Nasty spot." Hazel said.

"You tell me. You could look at that speed limit sign and drivers still don't know how to drive below the limit without speeding." I pointed out a sign that shows 30 miles speed limit.

"I'll see, if I can't convince too bold for it." Hazel planned, as he told Marigold.

"I'll join you on that too." I followed along with Hazel and out of nowhere a motorcyclist zoomed past us, as we're trying to reach towards Hickory and Dandelion.

"Hey! We're walking here! Slow down, dagnabbit!" I shouted at the motorcyclist, before rejoining Hazel.

"Hickory, listen to me. We'll all make a run for it together, alright?" Hazel told Hickory on how we're going to cross the street.

"We got to move soon, Hazel. Those _hrududu_ are awfully fast and bad smoke." Dandelion warned us. As a vehicle drove past us and smog came out of it's exhaust emissions had us coughed.

"Well for one thing, the best to cross a street is to stop, look and listen, before crossing." I remembered the safety rule to cross a street. "However, being small, it'll lot harder to see us, unless they slowed down and let cross, when we got in the middle of the road."

I looked around a bit and saw a sign that shows a caution sign for ducks crossing. I remembered that this road is also for animals to make a safe cross and drivers have to yield for them. All the sudden, we noticed Bigwig and the rest of the rabbits started to hop towards the road.

Hazel and Dandelion tried to stop them.

"I get! We need to cross now. I know what they're doing! Come on!" I started to cross.

"Andrew it's not safe!" Hazel warned.

"It's not that, come on! It's a animal crossing! Drivers have to yield if they see an animal crossing the road! This sign explains it!" I explained and showed them a sign of a duck.

"I hope you're right." Hazel was unsure.

The three started to make our crossing. As the all of us are back together, a driver was braking, as we saw a car slowing down and it stopped towards me.

"HEY! WE'RE WALKING HERE! WE'RE WALKING HERE! I'M WALKING HERE!" I shouted at the driver.

As the everyone else got off the road, Hazel dragged me, as I was still cursing at the driver for not slowing and speeding to fast. Soon after we made our crossing, the driver sped off.

"I know other drivers, who are lot worse than you man. Look at California drivers, most of us are terrible!" I shouted and let out a big sigh, as everyone looked at me confused. "What?"

Everyone shook their heads and forget about it.

"Lucky you came along Pipkin." Bigwig commended Pipkin.

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Kehaar spotted ducks around the pond and I spoke with them on how to cross a _hrududu_ path." Pipkin explained.

"Just like the sign up there?" I showed him the sign and he looked at the sign.

"I don't know what it is, but you could say it was like that." Pipkin said.

"We faced down a _hrududu_!" Marigold praised.

"Good for us." Fiver said.

"Funny, I don't remember you joining us." I didn't even noticed that Fiver was with us.

"Really?" Fiver questioned.

"Well... not literally, but I mean is that I haven't... seen you when we're heading over there." I tried to explain, but Fiver just laughed and dismissed, as everyone joined a good laugh.

Later, we met back at Redstone and realized they may not be ready to have their own warren just yet.

"Soon, I guess we won't have neighbors soon, as we expected." I said.

"Yes, I suppose we're not ready to live on our own yet." Hickory agreed.

"One step at a time." Bigwig gave advice. "We'll get you there. Meet us here in the next round moon and we'll get on with our lessons."

Hickory agreed that they'll meet back here to continue with their training to live on their own, before it is their time to leave Cowslip's Warren.

"We better get back to Cowslip's Warren. We have to tell the others, what we have learned so far." Marigold said.

"About that, just try to keep it at a minimal low conversation about this. It'll be dangerous if that conversation leaks out." I warned them.

"Be careful and we want you, as our neighbors." Hazel agreed and warned them also.

We than watched them leave, as they're heading back to their dictator's warren.

"They risk everything for freedom and than worried they're not brave enough!" Hazel exclaimed.

"It takes time, Hazel. Like a driver have to be at a decent speed to get where they're going." I stated.

"You drive a _hrududu_?" Bigwig questioned me.

"Yes, but I try to be a safe driver." I answered. "Or more to say... 'I'm a excellent driver.'" I than spoke with Dustin Hoffman's impersonation from the movie _Rain Man_ , in some scenes that Raymond points out he's an excellent driver.

"I still can't your jokes sometimes." Hazel added.

"Maybe you're not good." Bigwig smirked.

"Hey! I'm... I'm good at slap on the back jokes or a good joke once in a while." I exclaimed, as we headed back to our warren and laughed about on our way back, as I ranted on and on.

 _To Be Continued..._


	44. Episode 16: The Market Part 1

The Market Part 1

"For all we know, there's an army of _elil_ in this field. We should have skirted the edge."

Bigwig is concerned about us being in the open field, despite of being covered in field grass. We were going out for a patrol, as usual. The disadvantage we had was not knowing where Kehaar was at. We started to double our patrol quite a bit, because for to see if Marigold and/or Hickory have came back for another lesson on living on their own and as always, sighting for enemy patrol from _Efrafa_ , as they're always trying to find our warren.

"If there's any trouble, Kehaar would give us plenty of warning." Hazel said.

"I'm not too sure about this, he would normally be close or nearby and he hasn't been." I said.

"I'm sure he'll arrive to help us at one point." Hazel assured.

We continued on with our patrol, until we heard a stick break. We stopped to listen what was coming close to us.

"What was that?" I asked.

Bigwig sniffed for any scent. "There's something in the field with us."

"Kehaar should have warned us." Hazel said.

"Unfortunately, he's gone." Hawkbit said.

Normally, if there was any danger, he would warn us, apparently he was no where in sight. Something's up with Kehaar, it seems that since the last recent patrols he would fly himself off no reason.

"Maybe he got lost or lost us." I thought, without trying to put fault on Kehaar.

"Keep your ears up and go quietly." Hazel warned us.

"And eyes opened." I added.

Hazel decided to take lead, until he stopped and gasped. We heard a rustle nearby and close towards us. Out of the tall grass, comes a fox and founds a good supper time, leaving me as a side dish possibly.

"Scatter!"

Everyone separated, as the fox got a lead on Hazel. I ran quick as possibly until I realized that the fox wasn't behind me. It was first with the weasel when we first discovered the down, and now a fox is being sent to kill us in our patrol.

"What next?" I asked myself.

"Andrew, over here."

I heard a voice coming from a small bush. I went through to find Fiver was hiding with Bigwig and Hawkbit.

"I'd never thought I find my way out." Fiver said.

"You did though, that's all it matters." I said, before I looked at Bigwig and Hawkbit. "How did you two get here?"

"We find this hiding spot, before Fiver found us." Bigwig explained.

"Oh, so... where's Hazel?" I asked.

"The last I saw, the fox was after him." Hawkbit said.

"It wouldn't happen, if that idiot gull was doing his job." Bigwig curses Kehaar for being absent.

It seems that Kehaar would be under fire, when we find him, as soon Hazel finds us and we're heading home. We heard rustles and gasped to think the fox found us, but only to see it was Hazel finding us and gasping from being chased by the fox.

"He's still out there I bet." I said.

"I gave her the slip, let's not give her another chance." Hazel finally spoke and we decided to head back, as fast as we can before the fox could come back and follow us.

"How do you know it was a vixen? It could probably be male." I asked Hazel.

"Let's not jump into this kind of discussion, at this time." Hazel said.

I shrugged my shoulders and decided to drop it. When we got back to the down, the fox was not tailing us and we began our climb back up to the warren. I looked behind us to see Kehaar was flying towards us.

 _Please don't go near us_. I said to myself, as I wanted to warn Kehaar to keep our distance.

"There you go. I look, but you're not where you are." Kehaar said.

"I'll tell you where we nearly were." Hawkbit stopped. "Nearly inside a _frithin_ box! Where were you?!"

Kehaar stuttered, as he was figuring out what to say. "I see old friends from 'Big Water'."

It seemed that he must have came across with somebody he knew before he met us. Despite of his honesty that I admire, it didn't really save him from not helping us during our patrol and we were nearly killed by the fox.

"So you thought you'd flounce off for a visit, did ya?!" Bigwig exclaimed before he hopped up hill.

"Kehaar sorry." Kehaar apologized.

"We were counting on you, you let us down." Hazel was disappointed. Everyone headed up for the hill, as I stayed behind.

"Kehaar sorry." Kehaar apologized again.

"You seen somebody that you knew?" I asked.

"Yes... an old friend." Kehaar sighed sadly, as he felt guilty from abandoning us during our patrol.

I could easily relate to it, as if I had stop working for a brief second, if I had seen an friend or family member, I would done the same thing too.

"I know you didn't mean. It seems like you're homesick, aren't you?" I asked.

"My heart is sore. Kehaar miss 'Big Water'." Kehaar sadly said, before he flies up top of the down.

I sighed, as I felt some sympathy from Kehaar's homesickness. I climbed towards the down, where everyone is _silflaying_. Hazel looked up and he was the first to see me come up.

"Are you alright? you took a while to climb up." he asked.

"I'm fine, sort of. I just talked to Kehaar, when you guys hopped away." I answered.

"What's he have to make an excuse this time?! He hasn't been much to our help in patrolling for a few days." Bigwig exclaimed.

"I know... he's seems to be homesick." I added.

They all looked at me, as Bigwig and Hawkbit gave me stern looks.

"He must have come with a story to be on his side." Hawkbit said.

"It's not a like a 'sob story' to put it, but it's true. You were there, when he told us where he was." I said.

"You seemed to be defending him for his error of judgement." Hazel spoke.

"I'm not. All I'm saying is that I understand how he feels about homesickness. It's not meaning to disobey anything on purpose, he probably seen someone that he hasn't seen for a long time." I explained, as I felt that a backfire was coming from them saying that I'm siding with Kehaar.

"Either way it's over. We're moving on." Bigwig said.

"It's not over! It's a issue! If you think that someone you come across you were working or not working, would you stop for a moment to see them?" I exclaimed.

"You might as well come out and say you're defending Kehaar and from his actions could have cost us our lives from his faults." Hazel exclaimed.

I was shock and I became upset from Hazel's accusation. "You're unbelievable! Why would you think of that?!"

"I really do mean it, Andrew! If you have something that regards to Kehaar's troubles, you're being influenced!" Hazel accused.

"Hazel!" Fiver exclaimed.

I didn't know what to say, but felt a heartbreak from him. "How could you say that? Do you think Kehaar is the only one, having to go through homesickness?!"

"You're starting to become hostile." Hazel sternly stated.

"What if you... if you..." I knew what I was going to say, but it would spark fires on everyone.

"Go on, say it! I know you wanted to say!" Hazel exclaimed.

I sighed and refused to fight back on calling him names or go behind his back.

"Maybe perhaps, it's your time to leave. And never come back!" Hazel decided to kick me out of the warren.

"Wait a minute, Hazel!" Fiver tries to talk him out of it.I shook my head and decided to take his word.

"Maybe your guys wishes for me to leave, has came true since I overheard you said. Thanks for your so called 'hospitality'." I shakily criticized Hazel, as I was heartbroken.

I had all my belongings together and I started head my way down the hill. As I walked further away from the down, I looked back to see the tree was smaller. I shook my head and ran away in tears fast as I can to get away. Minutes after I just covered my face in tears, I looked to see a road. It maybe a road that I could try to find a small town or a village that I could try to get someone's attention. I put on my headphones and decided to listen to music while I was upset and broken. As the song begins, I started to have flashbacks of meeting Hazel, our bonding, to our departure.

 _I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh_

 _I want to hold you high and steal your pain away_  
 _I keep your photograph, and I know it serves me well_  
 _I want to hold you high and steal your pain_

 _'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome_  
 _And I don't feel right when you've gone away_  
 _You've gone away_  
 _You don't feel me here anymore_

 _The worst is over now and we can breathe again_  
 _I want to hold you high, and steal my pain away_  
 _There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight_  
 _I want to hold you high and steal your pain_

 _'Cause I'm broken when I'm open_  
 _And I don't feel like I am strong enough_  
 _'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome_  
 _And I don't feel right when you're gone away_

 _'Cause I'm broken when I'm open_  
 _And I don't feel like I am strong enough_  
 _'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome_  
 _And I don't feel right when you're gone away_

 _'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome_  
 _And I don't feel right when you're gone away_  
 _You've gone away_  
 _ _You don't feel me here anymore__

* * *

After hearing the song a couple times and walking for a while, I saw a small village and apparently people are present. I was relieved to see my kind again. I decided to go into the village to see if I could try to get some help. I took off my headphones and started to shout at the people, who were walking past me or didn't take notice. Unfortunately, they were preoccupied in their daily lives and also it seemed that I was at a market. I saw the townspeople browsing around like it was a flea market, but it was different. They were selling food, animals, and others, having small entertainment like ring toss and a puppet show.

I continued to get people's attention that I needed help, but I could only get nearly stepped on, passing by cage animals that I could only get snarled at. I realized that it wasn't going to be easy and impossible. I decided to walk by the small buildings only to see more people were passing through and entering some of the buildings, probably shopping stores and one that I spotted was a tavern. I looked through the gleaming windows to see patrons having their drinks and a pool table where they could shoot a game of pool. I heard a faint music that was playing in the background and I didn't see a piano in the tavern. I realized it was music probably from a radio. I recognized the music as _Gran Torino_ by Jamie Cullum from the movie _Gran Torino_. The last time I watched the movie was back at my dad's.

A missing postage was near the tavern's entrance. I saw that my name was there, information briefly about myself, and a picture of me. A glamour of hope came through that I wasn't dead and they considered me missing.

"Wow... I guess a lot of music must have played in there." a voice came.

I looked behind me and it was Tyler.

"Tyler!"

We both shared a reunion hug. "You're alive!"

Tyler shrugged. "You could say and I'm at one piece. What are you doing out here?"

My smile faded. "I had a intense fight with Hazel and he kicked me out of the warren."

"What?" Tyler was shocked.

"Because Kehaar made a mistake during our patrol, as he came across someone that he hasn't seen for a while. I tried to reason that it was homesickness, like I have." I explained.

"Why don't come along?" he asked.

I shook my head. "I'm not running away to find a new home, I'm trying to find my way home."

"Look... I knew everyone would be upset that I ran, because I lied." Tyler understand and brought back the reason why he ran.

"Well no. They started to feel worried, especially your mother. She hasn't stopped to say a single prayer to _Frith_ that you come back, even Hawkbit." I said.

"I'm pretty sure Mom is gonna ground me after I made such an idiotic decision." Tyler knew he would be in trouble, if he returns.

"I doubt that. However, Clover is very upset about you running away." I said, as I already told him that she was worried.

"Well, she can be as upset as she likes. Da- I mean Hawkbit was right. I don't belong on the Down with you guys."

"Yes, you do, Tyler. The last couple of days were boring and quiet without you. Besides, from I can remember, you told the kids fun stories." I recalled from Tyler telling Hazel's kittens and Pipkin stories about what a big city looks like. "It's me that I don't belong, because I'm human."

"Do you think you're the only is human, don't forget by Sandy. Even myself... well no longer, but used to either way you get the picture. You and Hazel just had a fight and you both could forgive each other. You two are close." Tyler added.

I was unsure because when I left, Hazel was still upset that he didn't even gave me an eye contact, as he started resentment.

"Oh! I almost forgot, before I leave, I wanted to give you this."

Tyler took me to a market tent, where the seller was selling music. He grabbed a CD and it was shown _Ride of the Valykries_.

"Richard Wagner?" I was clueless, but I knew it was conducted by.

"Only if I come back and had to face _Efrafa_ , I thought maybe you could use your DVD player to play the music." Tyler said.

I smiled. "I couldn't remember play music on a DVD player since 2006, but we will if you come home." I said.

A truck came. We spotted the farmer and Duster from Nuthanger Farm.

"We'll see each other again, but don't tell anyone that we have seen each other." Tyler wanted me to promise.

"I can't keep that promise, at least if I told them at least you're at one piece that all it matters." I said.

Tyler looked to see the farmer was heading towards the passenger seat. "Alright, if you don't tell them where I'm."

"Fair enough and good luck." I said my goodbye to Tyler.

"You too." Tyler smiled and hopped away and I looked to see Duster coming out of the truck.

I ran ahead and turned to my upper left to find a place to hide from Duster. When I got into hiding, I was hiding at a market tent. I looked to see I was on top of a carpet and clothes were displayed.

"Never too late that I could find some clothes." I joked to myself. I sat my pack down and sat on the ground just wished that I wasn't in this miss and I wanted to go home.

It was better that I wouldn't be more of a messy situation, if I haven't fought with Hazel. "If only it would be my journey back home, I wish to see at least the Watership Down rabbits are safe and of course apologized to everyone about me dashing off."

I looked up saw Kehaar was flying above me and he didn't spotted me. "Well at least they seemed to be searching for me by now."

Hearing the sound of feet were coming towards me, thinking it would be another sight of humans browsing. Instead, I saw Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig, and Pipkin came and spotted me.

"Andrew?!" they were surprised to see me, at the same time in shock.

 _Wow that was fast_. I said to myself.

"Andrew, are you alright?" Hazel was the first to speak, despite from his harsh words, he was relieved that I was safe.

"Hazel, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have talked back and I was out of line." I apologized.

"No Andrew. I'm the one, who needs to apologize. I shouldn't have yelled at you and forcing you to leave." Hazel thought he had to apologized.

"Well how about this, I'm sorry too." I smiled.

The both of us shared a warm, embraced hug that our friendship has renewed. I started to think a few questions in my head.

 _What are you doing here? And why are you guys, are wondering around where humans are around?_

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Note: First, I wanted to apologize for the long wait, been busy at work that I hardly got my time to write that I had to take my down time from it. Second, as always I wanted to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas for this episode. Stay Tuned!


	45. Episode 16: The Market Part 2

The Market Part 2

I was surprised to see Hazel and the others were wondering around the market. At the same time, I wanted to tell them about Tyler, but it seemed to be enough of questions that I wanted to ask.

"How did you guys know I was here?" I asked.

"We didn't." Fiver answered.

"Oh, but anyway why are you guys doing here in the middle of a populated area, where people are around?"

"We're going to 'The Big Water', but we got separated from Kehaar." Pipkin answered.

I guess they realized that I was right about the homesickness and the remedy of it was to take Kehaar back to his old home. "I just seen him flying by, before you guys came. Besides where's Hawkbit and Dandelion?"

"Blast those two. Can they do anything I tell them?" Bigwig exclaimed.

"Well, since you guys found me, why don't we look for Hawkbit and Dandelion, before searching for Kehaar." I suggested for the fact they had found me and now it's time to find the three.

"Very well than." Hazel said, before we moved out. Everyone headed out, but I halted Hazel so we could discuss about what we both said.

"Hazel, I know that you have done so much for me, looking after me. What I said... no. I mean how I said, I was out of line." I was trying to be sincere about my apology.

"I know you didn't mean, when I realized it. I shouldn't have to take it out of you and thinking you were siding with Kehaar." Hazel spoke.

"It's funny. When I first arrived at the market place, I was starting to feel like I was back at home, but I know it's not. Not a single person caught my attention." I said.

Hazel remembered that I was shrunk to his size. "You'll find your way home, with our help."

"Please don't say that. With help or not, I just have to keep my faith everyday to believe one day I will." I decided to believe that I would return back to my human size, rather hearing the promises that I'll be given help or I have to figure out on my own.

He understood what I convened, he simply smiled and reminded me about faith. "I guess you're faith is growing back."

"Slow though."

"It takes time and patience." Hazel smiled. "We must join the others."

I was wanting to speak about my founding of Tyler, but he started to head his way, before I could speak. I decided to let it go for now, until we got out of this mess and tell him when it is the best time. We met back with Fiver, Bigwig, and Pipkin. I saw some fresh food that I couldn't help myself, but tried to fill my back at least two peaches that were from a small wood barrel.

"They were here." Bigwig picked up Hawkbit's and Dandelion's scents. " _Owsla_ rules-"

" _Go to ground and wait_." I said.

Bigwig was surprised from what I said. "How did you know that?"

"Wasn't that what you taught us from our first _Owsla_ training on patrolling?" I recalled from our earlier days at Watership Down.

He simply smirked with a light smile. "It's good that you remember it. Unlike Hawkbit and Dandelion, I drummed that into them and what did they do."

I looked at Pipkin saw bubbles were coming from somewhere, as they were floating by.

"Look! _Bubbles of Rainbow_!" Pipkin cheered.

" _Bubbles of Rainbow_?" I questioned.

"It's a message from _Prince Rainbow_. If we find out where they come from, we would be able to find Hawkbit and Dandelion." Pipkin stated.

The rabbits started to remember, as it maybe from another story about _Prince Rainbow_.

"I do believe he's right." Fiver realized.

* * *

All of us followed the bubbles, I wouldn't think they would come from the sky, except from kids blowing bubbles or a bubble machine that was blowing bubbles. We hid underneath a bench, from where we found where the bubbles were coming from. I saw a mechanized bear blowing bubbles, as it was a bubble machine with a gentle music playing.

"Well imagine if it was Dumbo blowing bubbles, I would rather not see 'Pink Elephants'." I recollect from watching _Dumbo_ when Dumbo blew bubbles and next thing he and Timothy the mouse started to see "pink elephants".

"'Dumbo' and 'Pink Elephants'?" Fiver questioned after a bubble popped when it landed on his nose.

"Not a good time to talk about or never." I rather drop it, so I don't think about it never.

"Either way, _Prince Rainbow_ work in strange ways." Fiver continued.

"Mysterious, I prefer." I said.

"We're lost in a strange place, so I suppose it makes some sort of sense." Bigwig added.

"You guys thought it would be strange to find me from your _Prince Rainbow_ , right?" I was curious.

"No, we caught your scent and traced to find you." Hazel answered.

"It makes perfect sense." Pipkin said. He saw two rabbits and right away he spotted Hawkbit and Dandelion following the bubbles. "There they are!"

He called out to them, as he slightly came from hiding underneath the bench to get their attention. The two found us and joined into hiding with us.

"Andrew!" Dandelion exclaimed.

"Oh you all have a sight for sore eyes." Hawkbit was relieved.

"We'd thought we lost you for good." Bigwig thought.

" _Prince Rainbow_ was watching over us." Dandelion believed, like Pipkin, that _Prince Rainbow_ led to reunite all of us at this spot.

"Before we go any further, let's make some rules for this market place." I decided to lay out some rules, as I know about markets and/or stores well enough that you don't want to get lost in a bad time. "Let's not try to separate ourselves once again, I could remember my times being lost in stores, even at _Wal-Mart_ to find my parents, and finally try not to touch too much, except it comes to food that we doubtfully will."

They all nodded their heads, as I regain back their trust.

"However, did you just grabbed some fruit?" Fiver smirked.

I looked at my backpack and I knew I put peaches in there. "Hey, I needed some food too!"

They all chuckled for a good laugh.

"Alright, we're all together. Now let's plan a way out of this nightmare." Hazel decided that we need to find our way out of the market soon as possible.

Before we could make a move, possibly an elderly man with a cane sat down on the bench. Bigwig suggested to discuss our way out, somewhere safe. We headed over to a market tent that the seller was selling flowers. We hid underneath of one of the tall flower crate, nearly cramped, but it was a suitable spot to discuss our way out.

"Alright, we can't stay here and we can't find our way out." Hazel said.

"Well that's a cheery summing up." Hawkbit complained.

"So what do we do? Wait until _Prince Rainbow_ steps in again?" Bigwig asked.

"Let's start at the beginning, how did you guys get here in the first place?" I asked.

"A _hrududu_ brought us here." Hazel answer.

"There you have! We'll have to find another vehicle that could give us transportation from the market." I came up with the idea.

"You can't expect for us to be let into a vehicle." Hawkbit disagreed.

"Not let into the vehicle, but hitchhike it. Meaning we'll have to sneak into a vehicle like you guys did before and we go for the ride." I explained.

Dandelion chuckled. "I'll know what Captain Broom would say about that. 'Daring strategy my boy!'"

"Or maybe we could take a vehicle and drive it?" I added.

"Drive it?!" Hawkbit questioned.

"Could we?" Pipkin asked.

"Yeah, sure. I could steer and you guys could work on the pedals." I said.

The rabbits didn't thought it was genuine, but curious.

"Can you drive it?" Fiver asked.

"No. If I could drive, I'll be better to be six feet tall other than being two or three feet tall." I revealed.

Pipkin and Fiver lightly chuckled from the joke.

"For me, I'll just say it's mad." Hawkbit said.

"We're scratching off the driving, but we're going to get into a vehicle and it could work." I assured him.

 _Who Dare's Wins_. Fiver quoted.

I looked at Fiver with a my eyes half closed with a stern look. "Seriously? You did not just quote it again. And why's everyone been saying it?!"

Fiver gave me a smirking look.

"Oh right, but still."

"Then it's settled. We find an open _hrududu_ and trust in _Frith_." Hazel decided.

We looked behind to hear something was coming towards us and I knew what it was.

"Pallet-jack!" I shouted.

We duck down, as the ride-on, electronic pallet-jack lifted the crate of flowers. We're now back on the open crowd.

"I have enough of this place." Dandelion complained.

"At least you don't have to deal with this every single day." I envied.

People started to walk past us. Tall and proud, but they have no slightest idea, that we're below them, as they go about walking in their daily lives and routines. We followed Bigwig once again to find our way out and be out of the open. We came through a ring toss area, where kids and adults play "Ring Toss". As rings were being tossed over us, I wouldn't want to picture if we're at a carnival shooting gallery. Two rings landed on Dandelion's ears, but as soon Dandelion continued to hop along the rings fell.

We came into a small hut that we than saw hand-gloved puppets. The rabbits were surprised and uncertain about these puppets, as if they were human that they could think they were evil puppets that comes to life.

"Maybe it's not the best place to hide." Dandelion said.

"Definitely isn't." Fiver agreed.

"Why not? Afraid of those puppets coming to life?" I asked.

"What are those 'puppets' anyway?" he asked.

"Puppets are objects that humans use them to move the puppets' mouth. Those humans are called puppeteers, the ones who control the puppets." I explained.

"We're stuck." Bigwig said, as he looked for chance to leave, but too many people were passing by. Hazel decided that we should hide inside the puppeteer's cart of puppets.

"I can't remember the last time, I ever seen those puppets. Probably, since elementary school." I tried to recall some days that I played some those puppets.

"You're a puppeteer?" Bigwig asked.

"No, but kids use these puppets either to make shows or just to play with them for fun or a joke." I answered.

The rabbits quickly ducked down, as puppets were thrown onto the cart and I was covered inside one of the puppets. I couldn't be able to see anything, except the smell was sweat from the puppeteer's hand.

"Now I have to deal with the smell. How could this get any worse?" I said to myself.

"We're in a farm." I heard Hazel said.

"You mean a petting zoo or petting farm. Where mostly kids would like to pet animals." I said.

"Well either way, we know about farms. Come on, lads." Bigwig said.

The rabbits jumped out of the cart, as for me I fell out of the cart and not knowing where I was going. I followed their voices, until I tripped and I was able to free myself from the puppet. The rabbits looked back to see me come out and they had a good laugh. I followed along in a fake life, until I flipped the puppet over with the face looking upwards, jump scaring the rabbits.

"Oh come on, grow some guts." I shook my head.

We found ourselves in a wooded fence and a female voice came about. We looked to find a pig trying to communicate to us, apparently it may be Lapine I suppose or to be honest I wasn't very sure.

"Yes, we're. How did you know?" Pipikin understood what the pig was saying.

"Why you're the rabbits loose in the markets... and a human loose too." she said.

"It's a long story... uhhh. May I ask for your name?" I asked.

"Call me Hyacinth. I might be a prize winner, but I don't stand on ceremony." she introduced herself.

"We're in a dreadful mix, Miss Hyacinth. We've been looking for a _hrududu_ to take us out of here, but well... it's a confusing place." Hazel spoke.

"She doesn't know what a _hrududu_ is, Hazel." Fiver whispered.

Hyacinth snorted from her nose, from hearing what Fiver said. "Oh don't I? That's a rabbit for a van, truck, and a car. I've been in all of them."

"Even on a airplane?" I asked.

"And on airplanes and boats." she continued.

"Well Kehaar and Andrew told us about boats, but what's a plane?" Dandelion asked.

"You know what airplanes are. It's a transportation that flies humans and animals around the world." I answered for Dandelion.

"Oh yes, a prize pig gets around, I tell you. However, I never get to go where I like." Hyacinth said.

"And we're on our way to "The Big Water". Our friend, Kehaar, lives there." Pipkin added.

Hyacinth sighed. "It must be wonderful to go where you want."

I remember the times that I'm limited to travel and felt the same way. "Perhaps that humans could travel limited, but it doesn't mean you can't. Because you're an animal, if you're free, you'll be able to travel freely. Like for instance, where would you go?"

"I've always wanted to wonder in the high hills, myself." Hyacinth replied.

"Than why don't you?" Hazel asked.

I turned over to Hazel and sternly gazed on him, as we looked at our surroundings and basically what Hyacinth goes through. "Oh right, my apologies."

"Maybe perhaps, you could escape?" an idea popped from my head.

Hyacinth became unsure, but in mostly in doubt with no reason. "You mean just go like?"

"Why not?" Hawkbit asked. "You look big enough to bash through this fence."

"Like suppose I am." Hyacinth realized that she could give it a chance to make her opportunity for her freedom. "I suppose I could."

"Come on! You got to believe to try something daring." I encouraged her.

"I suppose I will!" she shouted. She began to position herself, before to make a charge. Bigwig hopped in front of her, just in time, before she could.

"Before you go, do you suppose you might direct us to a _hrududu_?" Bigwig asked her for our help. "We really do want to get out of here."

"Of course, I might even sniff out the smell of the sea on one of them. You do want to go to 'The Big Water' don't you?"

"That was the plan." Hawkbit answered. "But right now, anyway will do. Is your nose really that good?"

"A pig's nose is a wonder to behold. Now, stand back."

She snorted through her nose and charged at the fence and broke the wooden fence. Afterwards, we started to follow Hyacinth to a vehicle at the same time, people started to panic from a loose pig wandering around out of it's fence.

"Hazel, Bigwig! There you're!" Kehaar's voice shouted above us.

We continued to follow Hyacinth, until Kehaar landed and we're back at the ring toss booth.

"Kehaar, you found us!" Pipkin was in joy.

"Will you make another racket with pigs and the prickly mill could find you. Well, we go to 'The Big Water' now?" Kehaar spoke.

"We still are, but Hyacinth is going to show us, where to hop onto a vehicle where it takes us to the ocean." I answered.

"What does pigs know!" Kehaar exclaimed.

"Well that one apparently knows rather a lot." Hawkbit stated that the group agreed, except Kehaar, perhaps that he may never met one pig that could be smart.

"Look out!" Bigwig shouted, as Duster appeared out of nowhere, but from following our trail.

"All those times, we foxed this dog at Nuthanger Farm. Now look at us." Hawkbit recalled the times that we outsmart Duster back in our raiding times at the farm.

"You'd think that wretched gull would lend a wing." Bigwig mentioned that Kehaar flew away, as soon Duster came.

"He's the one that got us into this miss in the first place." Dandelion decided to blame on Kehaar.

"We all decided to go, so you're individually responsible on yourself, despite from Kehaar. You're trying to begrudge or make scapegoat out of him, which is really unnecessary." I pointed out that we all decided to go along with Kehaar to the ocean.

Duster started to make his way closer to us, as he may have his hunting meal time for a six course rabbits and a side order of small man for an appetizer.

"I just like to say it's been a joy knowing all of you." Fiver accepted his fate.

"Me too." I said. "And I'm sorry again from what I said back at the down, before I ran off."

As we all decided to accept our fate and accepted my apology, Kehaar screeched, and he was with Hyacinth, charging towards Duster and tackled him. After being rolled, Duster retreated as he whimpers.

"I don't know why man keeps dogs around." Hyacinth snorts. "Exert ever so much smarter."

We were relived that we were rescued by Kehaar and Hyacinth that we thanked the both of them. Soon after, Hyacinth remembered that she was trying to help us to find the right vehicle to take us to the ocean. We exited out of the market and made it to a small improvised parking lot where cars and buses are parked. Hyacinth started to sniff out the first bus and recognize the smell that it came from the country side with horses.

"Up north." Hyacinth also revealed the location where the bus came from also.

"I don't believe it." Bigwig couldn't believe of Hyacinth could recognize a smell in a instant.

"I suppose you been around a lot and use your sense of smell for memories, right?" I asked her, as I found astonished.

"I've been everywhere. Dropped off from one fair to the next. Every place has it's own particular smell." Hyacinth answered.

"And you remembered them all?" Fiver was also curious.

Hyacinth smelled Fiver. "You are from the high hills. Along the path of the setting sun. You've been recently at a farm."

"Right before they arrived at the market and found me." I recalled from them telling me how they got to the market. All of us were amazed from Hyacinth's memory abilities. "You ate some lettuce and some beetroot."

"That's right!" Fiver exclaimed.

"So let's have no more doubts about my nose, shall we?" she turned over to Bigwig, as he doubted and I couldn't help, but lightly giggled.

She continued to smell the buses, until she smelled the red bus and she revealed it was from the ocean from the smell of sand, seaweed, and salt water. We started to climb aboard of the bus's luggage trunk.

"We have been in a sticky situation, without you Hyacinth. Thank you." Hazel thanked her.

"Yes very much." I thanked her as well.

"And I'd still be in my pen, waiting to get carted off to the next fair without you." she said.

"You'll like the high hills, Hyacinth. We do" Fiver hoped that she enjoys the high hills.

We heard the bus driver started to escort passengers to the bus to prepare for loading.

"I'd best be off, before man finds me. Good luck rabbits!" Hyacinth wished us the best of luck.

"Wait, Hyacinth. Before you go, you been around the world right?" I asked.

"Of course." she answered.

"Do you recall of being somewhere called Sacramento, that's in California?" I asked.

She think for a moment to see if she remembers, until she sniffed me. "Very rare at times at their state fair. You're from there, aren't you?"

"Why yes, I mean. I was only visiting this country. Now I'm trying to find my way home too." I said.

She nodded her head and wished me the best of luck of finding my way home. She headed off her way, as Kehaar flew off, as the bus driver picked up some luggage and loaded them into the trunk.

"'The Big Water' better be worth it, if we ever get there." Hawkbit hoped.

"We'll get there, Hawkbit." Hazel assured him. "After all, how far can it be."

"Actually, depends of the location, it may be an hour or two hours of drive." I came up with the estimate.

After the trunk closed, minutes later the bus started to move, as we're leaving the parking lot. The rabbits were unsure about their first experience of seeing the ocean. For me, it will be seeing another ocean like I have been to beaches in California as long as I could remember. At the same time, since I saw Tyler at the market, I was still worrying, praying, and hoping he'll be alright and safe.

* * *

It wasn't very long since after Tyler ran off, he was helping with other animals, during his time away from the down. However, one day, he was caught in a snare. He tried to free himself, but after his unsuccessful attempt, he spotted another rabbit, who was silver. Tyler shouted for help after he finally freed himself from the snare, but the rabbit flee. After the short flee, the same silver rabbit came back to see Tyler lived, as he was catching his breath from nearly suffocating from the tightness of the snare's wire.

The silver rabbit decided to bring Tyler back to his own warren, where it was widely opened entranced, where he was greeted by the warren's chief by the name of Cowslip. Tyler was warmly greeted, despite of their unusual greeting, as Cowslip and the silver rabbit by the name of Silverweed let Tyler stay at the warren for the time being. During his stay, the other rabbits of Cowslip's warren were curious about the new rabbit who was staying with them, even Cowslip, as he spotted Tyler's Zune player. Tyler even heard one of the poems that Silverweed recited. He started to remember what Fiver told him about Cowslip's Warren, but he decided to listen to the poem, despite of Fiver's warning from the time Tyler was at Watership Down.

Days go by, as Tyler was comfortable, other than from Cowslip's warren's friendly hospitality, he decided to go out for his morning usual routine. However, when he looked up, he noticed that the branch didn't have the same shift-shape flag back at Watership Down. He than heard a scream that came from one of the bushes. He hurried over to see one of the rabbits was struggling from the shining wire. Tyler didn't waste his time to dig and pulled out the twig of the snare. A rabbit, who is from Cowslip's warren told Tyler to leave, as it was not safe, because the shining wires surround the whole warren. Tyler slightly peeked to see circular wires in the bushes. They were than spotted by Cowslip, as the rabbit survived the shining wire. Tyler argued about the lifestyle is not like any other rabbits should live, alike to _Efrafa_. Cowslip simply did nothing, but laugh evilly, as the wire would return to Tyler.

Tyler shook his head, as he felt a bit frightened, and hopped away from the warren, as fast as he could. He ran fast as he was _El-ahrairah_ himself. Although, after he has managed to escape from _The Warren of Shining Wires_ , he didn't apparently look where he was going and he bumped into a tall stoned post. He was starting to lose his vision, as he was about to faint, but a few humans whom were living nearby found him, before he passed out.

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas for this episode.


	46. Episode 17: The Great Water Part 1

The Great Water Part 1

Since after we left from the market by taking the bus, it was nearly over an hour. I was starting to get stiffed from being inside and started to not breath too good. Hazel and the others wondered how long it would be, until we reached towards "The Big Water". By far, we know that Kehaar must have flew ahead of us and probably arrived at the ocean at ease.

"How much longer do we have to put up with this?" Bigwig wondered.

"I wonder if we'll ever reach 'The Big Water'." Hawkbit added.

"One thing I bet, _El-ahriarah_ and _Rabscuttle_ never had an adventure quite like this." Dandelion spoke.

The bus began to make right turn that we started to shake like the ground is making us shake.

"Strange to think we left Watership Down this morning and... now it's anyone's guess I suppose." Fiver said.

"If I wasn't stingy from this morning, this couldn't happen." I still feel regret from this morning.

"We already forgiven you." Hazel said, as he patted my shoulder.

"And you did." I remembered, while I was breathing slowly, as the trunk was getting too warm.

"I'm sure Kehaar knows he did say he'd meet us when we got there." Pipkin said.

"I hope so Pipkin, I hope so." Hazel hoped.

I started to get dizzy that I fell to sit down. "It's starting to get too stuffy..."

Everyone came towards me.

"Are you alright?" Hazel asked.

"Being inside of a trunk and not having any air... I could suffocate." I said.

"Just relax and take slow breaths, until we arrive." Hazel suggested.

I followed his instruction and after five minutes, I was back to normal, however still hot. The bus finally came into a stop. The engine was briefly shut off, and footsteps were coming towards, than the trunk opened up to see the driver was handing a bag to a passenger, as it was her stop.

"Now's our chance." Hazel said.

"Right. This time nobody gets lost or runs off." Bigwig instructed us.

All of us got out of the trunk and headed to a nearby bush, from there we watched the bus drive away.

"Now what?" Hawkbit questioned.

I started to hear some sounds that I never heard for a long time and I started to feel a sense of relief, with a little excitement. "You guys hear that?"

"Hear what?" Hawkbit asked.

Hazel began to smell the air. "It's certainly not like anything I've ever known."

"Agree with you on that." Bigwig agreed. "Where in _Frith_ are we?"

"I think we're near a ocean." I said, as I continued to hear the crashing waves. "Can you guys hear it?"

Pipkin and I went towards the edge, as the wind was blowing to our faces, we had a grandiose view of the ocean. "I think... I think we're there." Pipkin said.

Everyone else gathered where we're standing, as we watched in awe of the ocean's waters crashing towards the shore and ocean expands further towards the distance to the open sea.

"By _Frith_ , we made it." Bigwig stated.

"So this is 'The Great Water'." Fiver said.

"An ocean, Fiver. This is an ocean." I said to him.

We started to hear seagulls making calls, as they were flying by. I closed my eyes and started to picture myself being back in Bodega Bay, starting since I was a kid until now. However, the coast here is different, it had pure, white cliffs. Although, the coast here is different, but I intend to think of the same grandiose view of an ocean when I ever see one.

"Now, we look for Kehaar." Hazel said.

"Down... there?" Dandelion questioned nervously, as he looked down towards the cliffs.

"Not by jumping off a cliff. We find our way down." I answered.

"He might find us better up here. Out in the open." Hawkbit said.

Bigwig looked up towards the seagulls were flying over the ocean, suddenly a hawk shows up, as he suspects that _elil_ could be anywhere. "Easy prey for _elil_. Now we've got to get moving."

As everyone started to look for a way down, Hazel and Fiver woke me up from a day dream of past memories.

"Andrew." Hazel's voice came, as I gasped from waking up.

"Sorry... I was reminiscing of the old days." I apologized.

"You been to 'The Great Water'?" Fiver asked.

"No, but I came across the Atlantic, before arriving here." I answered.

"The Atlantic?" Hazel questioned.

"There's five oceans: The Atlantic, The Indian, The Arctic, The Antarctica, and finally the ocean I seen the most back in California The Pacific." I told them about the five oceans of the world.

"What ocean lies in the beyond?" Hazel curiously asked.

"The Atlantic, but although it looks like beyond the shore is a channel that is a strait between two different lands." I answered.

"Another world is beyond this ocean?" Fiver asked.

"Well another land or country. Going further is possibly France or Belgium." I guessed.

"Hazel, Fiver, Andrew! We find a way down!" Bigwig shouted.

"We should rejoin them." Hazel said to us.

"Just wait until you reached towards the sand." I said with a smile.

* * *

We regrouped and Hazel took the lead and followed a rocky path that could lead towards the sand. Hawkbit started to call it quits, as he always seems to seen enough, but Bigwig ordered Hawkbit to keep moving, as we're still searching for Kehaar. A big wind blew across our faces that we stopped, without getting blown away from the wind. I couldn't be able to stop and sniff the ocean smell again.

"Do you smell that? Do you smell it?" I asked them.

"What smell? It's just air." Hawkbit spoke.

"Not just any air. Ocean coast air. Whenever I visit the coasts, I love the smell of ocean in the day and night. Only one of the rare places, you won't smell gas of a car or a village, specifically any signs of city life. If you face towards the ocean, your feet are wet from the watery waves crushing on shore, and smell the ocean smell. Nothing but air and sea." I stated.

"I'm surprised that you know about the ocean like Kehaar does." Pipkin said.

"The difference is that he lives there, but I don't. I only visit. If I ever wanted to live else where, near the ocean would be great." I added.

The rabbits nodded their heads from the interest of hearing the experiences I have of visiting the coast. Bigwig took a hop and pebbles fell from underneath his foot that was on the edge. We watched the pebbles and rocks land on the sand and water.

"Well that's an awful long way down." Hawkbit nervously said.

"It'll be best not to look down, until we reached towards the bottom." I advised him.

"Easy for you to say." Hawkbit said, before we continued to follow the path.

As we continued to follow the path, we spotted nests of puffins. One of them we spotted was feeding possibly a nestling a bait fish.

"What are those birds?" Hazel asked.

"They don't look to a threat." Bigwig spoke.

"They're puffins. I never seen much or seen them before. They're different from seagulls though."

Hazel decided to ask one of the puffins for help. "Excuse me. We're just passing through you see."

The puffin made a grunting sound that it's unsure if it was hostile or it never seen us before.

"Not terrifically friendly." Hawkbit said.

"Hazel, maybe those birds know Kehaar." Fiver suggested Hazel to ask where Kehaar is, although puffins may not understand us. Hazel decided to communicate to the puffin again, but the puffin made a warning grunt that may be expecting us as hostiles to them.

Hazel turned towards Pipkin to try to communicate with the puffin, as Pipkin has experiences to talking with other animals back at Watership Down. Pipkin went up to the puffin.

"Hello. Me, Pipkin. Ask you question?" Pipkin tries to communicate to the same puffin.

The puffin made a friendly noise for greeting. "Culoci. I'm busy minding nest, you see."

"Don't know any buck who'd be caught minding young-lings." Hawkbit whispered.

"Really? Some animals would sometimes have males look after their young-lings." I said to him.

"Everybody's different. I suppose." Dandelion added before he giggled. "Very very different."

"We look for friend. Kehaar, you know him?" Pipkin asked Culoci.

Culoci made the same sound when Pipkin greeted himself, probably for friendly noise call. Before Culoci could answer, seagulls started to descend towards the puffins. Culoci and the rest of the puffins defended their nest. I wasn't sure why seagulls were trying to raid, unless it comes down to stealing food from the puffins for their own meal. Pipkin was almost hit by one of the seagulls that Bigwig and myself picked him up from the ground.

"What's going on?" Bigwig wondered why gulls were attacking the puffins.

"Why the gulls were attacking those birds?" Pipkin questioned.

"There's a lot we don't know about this place." Hazel sighed.

"And about seagulls it seems." Bigwig added.

"Maybe the seagulls were trying to steal food from the puffins." I guessed. We continued to watch the puffins defending their home, as the seagulls were driven out.

A scream came from the behind. We looked to see Hawkbit missing and saw some cliff rocks broke away that probably caused the fall.

"Hawkbit!" Dandelion called out.

"Are you alright?!" Hazel called out as well.

"Nothing's broken that's what you mean." Hawkbit's voice came. "I really don't like it here!"

"At least the grass broke his fall." I said with relief.

We looked up to see a seagull was flying above us and it looked like Kehaar.

"Is that Kehaar?" I asked one of the rabbits, because the seagull looked closely resembled to him.

"That is him! Kehaar!" Pipkin recognized him right away and tried to call him.

"Kehaar! Over here!" Hazel tried to call.

"He's purposely ignoring us." Dandelion stated.

"He probably can't hear us from the ocean sounds, the wind, even nearby seagulls making noises that nullifying us." I reasoned.

"Kehaar!" Fiver tried to shout for him, but no response.

"See. He's not ignoring us. I'm pretty sure he's looking for us also and we can't even hear him also." I added.

"Not to me, because it looks like Kehaar's seagull friends are more important." Dandelion rebuttal.

"Why are you calling that gull?" Culoci asked.

"Kehaar is a friend of ours. We're trying to-" before I could continue, Culoci was surprised to see a human at the same size of a rabbit and closely to his size. I didn't want to go through the whole story, but I explained to him that I ended up here and I'm here. "...so you see we're trying to find Kehaar, who is not like the rest of the seagulls here."

"Gulls are enemies. Raid nests and cause trouble." Culoci said.

"I know that, but that maybe for most seagulls, but Kehaar is... different." I said, while I waved my hands, as I was trying to say something different.

"Culoci knows gulls, none of them are good to puffins." he added.

"And that's your opinion for most of the seagulls because you know about most of the seagulls that lived here." I respected his opinion, as puffins probably had a long history against seagulls, because seagulls raided puffins nests for food.

"Just to assure you that Kehaar is different." Hazel supported what I said about Kehaar.

"Oi! Are you coming down or I'm coming up?!" Hawkbit shouted like we forgotten that he fell.

"We'll be right down, just hang on!" I shouted for him.

"What if _elil_ spotted me?!" Hawkbit questioned like he was one of the customers, who is urging for a refund, but it goes against our store policy rules like not having a receipt or the receipt has expired.

"Just pretend to be dead or hide behind some cliff rocks maybe!" I suggested.

"You help us please?" Pipkin asked Culoci.

"I show you the best way down. This way." Culoci decided to help us to show the way down to meet Hawkbit.

"Thank you very very much." Pipkin thanked him.

Culoci showed us a way down, as we continued to follow the rocky paths of the cliff and before we know it, we spotted Hawkbit.

"Thank you again Culoci." I thanked him.

"Your welcome and what is Kehaar, beside being gull?" Culoci asked.

"He has like a purple head with a somewhat a messy haircut." I joked that Culoci didn't understand it. "Don't worry about the joke, I was kidding about the hair cut, no but he does have a purple head and had some curly hair on the top."

"I'll see if Kehaar is friend, when gulls try to raid again." Culoci said.

"If you remember, just tell him that we're looking for him." I told him.

"I'll try to remember." Culoci said, before he flies back to his nest. I hurried back to rejoin with the rabbits and informed them that Culoci would keep an eye out for him, while we handed down at the dunes.

"Ah... good to be on level ground again." Bigwig relieved. He continued to hop, until he couldn't be able to see his front paws, as if they were buried. "What's this than?"

"It's sand. Kehaar talked about it." Pipkin answered.

"Where it resides at the dunes, before it extended out to the ocean's bottom." I added.

"By _Frith_ , my paws are hot." Dandelion placed his paw on the sand, before pulling his paw back.

"It's because the sun shines on the sand, which it heats up the sand." I explained.

"Let's find Kehaar and get on our way." Bigwig suggested.

"But what if Kehaar wants to stay for a while?" Pipkin questioned.

"Me too. I never get to see much of the ocean for some time." I said, as I began to remove my shoes and socks to be barefoot and walked towards the ocean waters crashing at my feet and started to feel cold, but the foreboding of being swept is very little, if I decided to go further. I even took a minute to smell the ocean smell once again, as I was back in California in Bodega Bay.

My peace and quiet was than interrupted by Hawkbit, as he hops in the sand. "I can't think of a single... ow... single reason anyone would want to hang about this desolate place."

"I would." I said to him. "Anything to get away from city/rural life to enjoy a few days or at least a day to never thinking about turning back, until you're ready to go home."

"You seem very happy to be here." Fiver smiled.

"Yes... and also not even thinking about this morning and experiences in _Efrafa_." Hazel said.

Although the memories of _Efrafa_ would stay with me, but since I'm near the ocean, I would intend to not even thinking about it or the past troubles. I than looked to see the sand expands of bit of land and decided that I should go for a run. I picked up my shoes and socks, and put them in my bag and started to go for a jog.

"Where are you going?" Hazel shouted.

"Come on! Just follow the sand to explore!" I shouted as I ran further away from them, as they started to follow along to catch up with me.

 _To Be Continued..._


	47. Episode 17: The Great Water Part 2

The Great Water Part 2

I continued to run, as if I was free and let go from the world. The ocean waters continued to crash towards me feet, but I was full of joy, as if I was living in a memory. I started to feel a bit tired from that I decided to sat down on the sand, with my legs stretch out and being splashed from the ocean waves. It wasn't the only time that I needed to get away from city live, but also from home life as well. My memories started to come back about terrible memories, that I never thought they would come back, but I guess recently that I haven't been telling anyone that I ended up having dreams that I would get into a fight with my parents and every time I speak my mouth feels like adhesive glue is applied to my lips and I couldn't be able to say anything else, until I was too weak to speak from being put down.

I heard a voice calling to me that I came back to the present in the rabbit's world to see Hazel and the others catching up with me. Apparently, Pipkin fell into the water and he tried to swim, but he was still standing since he was still at the dunes line. I hurried over to make sure he was alright, but soon a wave crash on him that got both of us wet.

"Had a nice swim, did you?" Hawkbit teased.

"Nice... care for you to join us?" I joked.

"So many new smells here." Fiver smelled the ocean air.

"I can guarantee what some of them are or were." Bigwig stopped, as he also smelled a dead fish that was probably ate by seagulls.

Even Dandelion had a sniff on one of the dead, but it was a jellyfish that it was washed on shore and left there, that he covered his nose because the smell was bad.

"It's safer, if no one touches anything else. We don't know what's dangerous and what isn't." Hazel advised us.

We decided to listen to Hazel and try not to touch anything else that might consider dangerous or best to void the unknown. "We mustn't lose track why we are here?" Hazel added.

"Kehaar." Pipkin and I remembered.

We continued to wander around, as we still listen seagulls nearby are flying around or resting. It seems it was more difficult to figure which is Kehaar, as they almost sound the same, except we could tell of his accent.

"Kehaar is not making this easy, is he?" Bigwig wonders.

"For them being above ground, as we're on the low ground is the reason." I said. "And of course they fly."

"Well let's swim after him. We've come this far, why give up now?" Hawkbit suggested an idea that was derision.

"Oh sure." I tired to not follow him wholeheartedly, but try to light it up. "I could swim and you could probably be my lifebelt, if that's what you want."

"Of course I can't swim and I wouldn't last long if I swam far across 'The Great Water'!" Hawkbit exclaimed.

"We could live without the argument and sarcasm." Hazel decided to set our places.

I walked over to Fiver to see he was looked at a puddle of water. "Look, there's a puddle."

"Fiver, I don't it's safe to drink this kind water if it comes out of the ocean." I warned him, but it was too late, as he started to drink it.

Eventually, it didn't last long for his thirst, as he started to cough out the ocean water. "It's poisoned!"

"Fiver, it's salt water. We never try to drink this kind of water, because its brackish and not only that it's dangerous that could lead to salt poisoning." I told Fiver about the salt ocean water, as I poured a small bowl of water for him to get rid of the salt water taste, as he could rinse his mouth and spiting it out.

"Thanks for telling me, perhaps I should have took your advice." Fiver thanked me.

"I remember when I had the ocean water hitting me in the mouth, while I was at the beach. I had to spit out repetitively until the saltiness was gone." I recall that I got splashed from the ocean water up to my face that I fell and ended up have some ocean water slipped into my mouth, as I hit underwater or from the ocean waves.

"More unusual things." Hazel hopped towards us.

"Not until you been around here more and you get use to it." I said.

"You don't live by the ocean do you?" he asked.

"Unfortunately no, but I kind of wish maybe one day when I'm older." I said.

Hazel exclaimed in pain of a pinch that he looked behind to see a crab pinched him by the claw.

Everyone else stepped away, as if they wouldn't want to get pinched and not knowing what the crab could do. Bigwig laughed, as he watched Hazel flapping his hind leg to get the crab off of him. I wanted to grab the crab and thinking of eating it later, but Hazel manages to get the crab off of him, and watched as the crab goes on it's way.

" _Frith_ of _Inle_ , what was that?" Bigwig surprised.

"It's a crab. It's a sea animal that lives in the water and on land. I could be able to caught the crab and I could eat it." I told Bigwig.

"Humans eat crabs?" Hazel questioned.

"Yes, we eat crabs that are fresh caught by fishermen. It doesn't at this time, I could always have some crab when I go back home." I answered.

"Does it taste good?" they asked.

"Very good, dungeness crab specifically, with it being rinsed and a dip of butter for a good taste."

The rabbits seemed a little disgusted from the fact of eating crab, and probably they would never in their life that they would try it.

"Of course we don't eat the shells, we just eat the meat." I assured them that we don't just eat the crab as it is.

"Well we have some tales to tell when we get home." Dandelion said.

"Well that's if we ever get home." Hawkbit added.

"I'm sure we will. We just have to be getting our way back to the top, before sunset." I added.

"What happens at sunset?" Hazel asked.

"Well... it only happens sometimes when the sun and moon exerts from gravity and the Earth's rotation that causes ocean tide to rise, especially when the moon is full and high." I answered.

They gasped that we may be in danger if the ocean tides did rise the water level. Still they were confuse from the science parts of gravity and Earth rotation, but it's important that we find Kehaar and a way back up.

* * *

We started to find our way back up to the cliffs, at the same exploring a bit, we're being bombarded of clam shells that came from seagulls above us. We took cover, as we followed Bigwig to take cover. The bombard of clam shells stopped and seagulls fly down to break the shells to eat the meat inside of the clam.

"Now there's a trick." Hazel thought an idea popped into his head.

"I can't think what good it will do for us." Bigwig doubted.

"You never know." Hazel said.

"How are we going to communicate to another seagull, they only eat and I'm pretty sure if we even get in contact with them, they'll probably think we're trying to steal their food." I doubted also.

"Perhaps Pipkin could try." Hawkbit decided to have Pipkin try to speak to them and encourages him, as Pipkin is unsure also. "You know how to talk to these creatures."

Pipkin slowly hopped towards, as I came behind him in case they try to harm Pipkin. We got to them to see two seagulls battling over meat from what it was used to be from a clam. Pipkin looked back towards us and myself.

"It's alright. I'm right behind in case they try something." I assured him.

Pipkin braved himself up and went over to the seagulls. "Excuse me, do you know Kehaar?"

The seagulls stopped and gave him a stare, before they cawed at him. Pipkin fall back, as I covered his back while trying to shoo the seagulls away, until we got back with everyone else. Pipkin was breathing quickly that I had to calm him down by instructing him to take slow breaths.

"They didn't hurt you?" Hazel asked Pipkin, as he was alright.

"Culoci's got a point about those gulls." Hawkbit realized from what Culoci said about seagulls around here.

"This 'big water' got some major drawbacks." Dandelion added.

"Some creatures and humans live on their own or together like a family." I summed up about what Culoci said, as Puffins stick together as a family and seagulls create nuisance and fend for themselves individually, as the rabbits looked back at me.

"Do they mostly fend for themselves?" Hazel asked.

"If it comes to their needs and wants than yes." I answered glumly with disappointment.

Before Hazel could say anything the waves tide started to expand past me, Hazel, and Bigwig.

"The water is getting closer. It wasn't here awhile ago." Bigwig said.

"But that's impossible." Hazel disbelief.

"It's the moon. It's causing the water to come in." I said.

"How? The moon isn't out yet."

"True, but the moon's gravitational pull is causing the water to come in, as the moon is positioned high." I added. "I suggest we find a high ground to find our way up."

Hazel and Bigwig looked at each other and nodded.

"Very well than. We need to leave here, before the water comes in again." Hazel decided.

We started to find our way out, but as the ocean's water tides come in, some paths that we took before become impassible. It felt like we went in circles, by the time the sun sets hours later. We're close to be surround as the water is near to our feet. Hazel manages to find a high ground from one of the boulders that we could be away from the water for the time being. We managed to get on top of the boulder, but as soon after we got up there, the waves crash at the boulder that the water is now rising. As if we're on a sinking ship and the water line is filling each deck compartment, as the ship begins to sink. Since the water is now pass the boulder, there was no other option or solution, but keeping an eye out for Kehaar and pray that the night doesn't come too soon, or we'll be scatter in the ocean's water to the bottom of the sea.

* * *

The moon was at it's high tide peak. The water has filled half way of the boulder and before we know it could reach on our feet/paws. We're like stranded in a island waiting for help that it may never come. It wasn't until we started to hear what it may seemed to be Kehaar's voice calling for Pipkin and Hazel. Pipkin and I saw Kehaar flying past us.

"Kehaar!" Pipkin called out for Kehaar.

"We're over here!" I shouted and waved my hands.

All the other rabbits started shouting for him that Kehaar turned towards us landed on the boulder.

"Kehaar thank _Frith_ you're here." Hazel relived.

"We been swallowed by this poisoned water." Hawkibt said.

"I think you actually mean the water level is rising." I meant to correct him.

Kehaar knew exactly what I was saying. "This happened two times each night at the big water, it's okay when move slow."

"Meaning when the moon is on positioned for low tide." I explained.

"Not slow enough for my liking." Hawkbit said.

"We just have to implement a way of reaching back to the top again, like we were, before the tide rises again." I suggested.

"Before we go further, how high does it get, since you two seem to know about this?" Bigwig asked me and Kehaar.

Kehaar and I looked at each other. I know the tides don't go very high, however I wasn't familiar for the tides here, so I let Kehaar answer the question, because he's been here. He than looked at the cliffs and stumbled, as he didn't want to reveal a shocking truth on how high it gets.

"That far." Kehaar pointing at how high the tide gets. Behind Bigwig and Dandelion, we saw bit of marks that were probably from the previous high tides and it was above their ears.

"There's a ledge above it!" Hazel spotted a nearby ledge that we could find a way to get up to it.

Fiver hopped quickly towards it and a tall hop. It was close that he could try to climb up, but his bearings didn't last a bit that he slide back down.

"I can't make it." Fiver tried his best.

"That was close. Nice try though." I commended Fiver. "Why you try it Andrew?"

I set my travel pack where Fiver was and walked back to get enough room to make a jump. I ran towards the hedge and manged to make a jump that my hands grabbed on to the ledge. They were surprised that I made it. I tried to pick up my feet, so I could climb over, but it failed and I landed on my bag.

I sighed and shook my head. "Close, but no cigar."

"It was a good try." Hazel and Fiver smiled for the effort.

We looked over to see Kehaar was mumbling to himself that it was loud enough that we're hearing him.

"What are you thinking Kehaar?" Hazel asked.

Kehaar continued to think, until he found an idea with a gasp. "Please don't go away. I'll be back!" He fly away towards another island, probably getting help.

The waves crashed that we started to get wet.

"And just where we would go." Hawkbit smirked.

"No where apparently." I said, as I walked towards the cliff of the boulder and sat down. I looked back to see everyone is trying to find another way to climb up. A set of waves came towards us that I scooted back, before it crashed at the boulder. All of us got wet, mostly Hawkbit and myself as we're soaked. He was more damp that his ears were more damp and hanging down, than my clothes were soggy. Pipkin let out a giggle from us getting wet.

"I just hope Kehaar hasn't got lost in the dark." Hazel worried.

"He knows around here and I'm sure he'll be back." I assured him.

"If not?" Hawkbit asked, as he dried himself from being wet.

"If not, we'll find another way."

"Andrew's right! I know it that he'll be back." Pipkin kept up his optimism.

We heard Kehaar cawing, as he was nearby and landed on the boulder. "Help is on the way!"

"That's good news." I cheered.

"Got all of your gull friends together, did ya?" Hawkbit asked.

Kehaar looked down and disappointed. "Actually no. Gulls are..." He didn't know what to say besides he blew raspberries to think that something went wrong, when he asked for help from his fellow seagulls.

We heard another caw from nearby that Pipkin looked to see a flock was heading towards us. "So who are they?"

He and I looked to see Culoci and his puffins are heading towards us for help.

"It's the puffins!"

Culoci was the first to come. As he was still in the air, he dropped a pebble that landed towards us and flew off, as another puffin followed the same suit. More pebbles and rocks were coming down that Kehaar started to gather them in a pile.

"I'm not really so sure how pebbles and rocks are going to help us." I said.

"Now I'm beginning to understand." Bigwig realized what the puffins and Kehaar had planned. He started to have us gather the pebbles and rocks to the same pile where Kehaar is putting them.

"Hawkbit and Andrew, help me get this up here." Fiver spotted a long stick floating by us, that could hold up the pile. The three of us walked towards the cliff, picked up the stick, before it could float off.

Hawkbit grabbed the stick from one end with his teeth, while I picked up the other end with my hands. We than set it on the pile, where more pebbles and rocks are being piled up to make a some sort of piling that we could climb over and jump. Pipkin commended Kehaar for the idea that it could work. After Bigwig neatened the pile, Pipkin was the first to climb and successfully he climbed up to the hedge. Everyone else managed to climb up, leaving me and Hazel decided to climb up. He insisted me to go, but I wanted him to go. He assured me that I could always reach out if he slips. I nodded, before climbing up. I looked to see the waves are growing large.

"Come on Hazel!" I shouted.

He looked to see the waves and gasped. He than started to climb, all the sudden he started to slip. I reached my hand out for his paw. He climbed again and I grabbed his paw and lifted him up, just seconds before the waves crashed where he was climbing that he could have been taken to the ocean.

* * *

"Great, everyone's up now." Bigwig was relieved.

A pebble flew up from the waves crash that landed next to me and Hazel.

"Another moment too soon." Hazel added.

"Like I said, 'close but no cigar' for the waves that is." I said.

We looked over the cliff to see the water has already above the boulder.

"Well... I guess we have to spend here I guess." I suggested.

"We wait, until water go away soon." Kehaar added.

"You said this water comes and goes twice a day." Fiver said to Kehaar.

"Ya, always."

"Only when the moon is high and full." I added.

Hawkbit began to be frantic, despite of being relieved from being on the high ground. "Oi, get me back to dry land, please!"

"We'll get there when the tide is low again." I assured him.

Culoci landed on a rock and we couldn't thank him and his puffins enough for his help.

"I really don't know how to thank you, Culoci." Hazel and all of us were grateful.

"Anything, Kehaar can do for puffins. Oh, he do, okay." Kehaar said.

"Too bad not more gulls are like you, Kehaar." Culoci was appreciated of Kehaar for not being the norm of other seagulls.

A puffin came with some fishes on it's beak, as Culoci offered us food. Hazel was unsure because rabbits don't eat fish or any other seafood like puffins and seagulls, even humans do.

"Oh... that's very kind of you, but-"

"Thank you very much Culoci." Pipkin stepped in and grabbed a fish with his mouth. I even came also and accepted the gift.

"Yeah... very kind cheers." Bigwig added.

"Well, got to get back to me family." Culoci flies away with the second puffin back to their nest.

"Thanks again Culoci!" Hazel thanked him.

As soon after the puffins fly away and out of sight. Pipkin spitted out the fish.

"Good ol' Pipkin." Fiver complimented.

Hawkbit laughed. "Wouldn't catch me doing that."

"Why not, they're not that bad." I said, as I finished the fish I grabbed and ate.

"Say Andrew, you can have the fish" Pipkin tried to offer me his fish.

"Are you kidding, you touched it." I said.

Everyone else started to have a good laugh.

 _To Be Continued..._


	48. Episode 17: The Great Water Part 3

The Great Water Part 3

After we had our good laugh, Kehaar and I continued to munch on the fishes until there was one fish flapping. I noticed that Kehaar would want it and I looked over at Hazel as he wasn't going to eat it.

"You mind?" Kehaar offered the last fish.

"No thank you. I'm alright." I refused for the last fish.

"Please, it's all yours." Hazel insisted.

Kehaar picked up the last fish, tossed it into the air, and caught it, before gulping it in one swallow. We all than looked to see the moon is full and high and the tide is still at it's high peak.

"I guess we're not going anywhere until morning." Bigwig said.

Pipkin started yawn. "I'm so tired."

"I believe we all are champ, and we had a long day." Bigwig patted Pipkin.

"I'll lay out some blankets and you'll get comfortable tonight." I said, as I opened my travel bag and lay out some blankets, so we don't sleep on hard rocks.

We lie down and decided to go to sleep, before the next morning we'll be heading back to Watership Down.

* * *

I woke up early in the morning and the sun hasn't come up, clouds were scattered, and the moon is no where in sight, as if it already sank. I was lying next to Hazel and Fiver, as they, Kehaar, and the rest of the rabbits are fast asleep while snoring. I walked towards the cliff to see the tide is receding away. I unzipped my bag to put on my socks and shoes since my feet dried over night. Afterwards, I decided to leave my blanket that the rabbits are using to sleep on and have the blanket I was using packed in my bag. I slid off the cliff, before jumping to the sand to walk on the shore.

I tried to keep the distance short so I don't wander off to far and being lost. The waves continued to crash on the sandy shores and I decided to be distant from the water, so I didn't get my shoes wet. As I was walking, I been thinking so much about what I'm doing, how I got here, and when will the stress and turmoil end. Times that I been struggling from not taking much care of self: my body when I need to stop, my spiritual body when I need to stop and spend time with God (because I struggle of not attending Sunday services because I work), going through verbal and abrasive customers, who try to complain when they don't get in their way as I try to follow the rules of my store, and above all... trying to maintain positive relationships with family. It was my time now, as I'm at the beach that I could get out.

It was about ten minutes since I was walking, I sat down on the sand, turned to see my feet still show footprints in case I do get lost and I could find my way back. I gazed out to the ocean to watch the waves crash and the stars are still bright and beautiful as always, and better at near the ocean areas, because the stars brightened better than at urban or small town areas (even big cities). I laid my head on my backpack and continued to watch the stars.

A tear fell from my eye, as I wished that I would be at home. However, I still do feel that my half insist that I should stay and be in a world that I feel more tolerate and understanding. I looked at my left side to see something coming from the dark. The figure in dark turned out to be Hazel. I suppose that he woke up to find me gone and followed my footprints, possibly my scent as well.

"Have a bad dream?" he asked.

I shook my head and looked back at the ocean and the stars. He came to my side and sat next to me.

"Something wrong?"

I took a deep breath. "What are we doing here?"

"Went to 'The Big Water' to have Kehaar enjoy his time there, as we explored there as well." Hazel answered.

"Do you guys ever have a broken moments, even with your family?" I asked.

He turned back at me from watching the stars. "No. Not always." After I looked at him, he started to come to realization. "Maybe most times we all tumble. Even before Fiver and I were on our own. I shouldn't have to yell at you."

"You're a older brother, a father, and a leader. It's your job." I summed up.

He shook his head. "True, but for now on-"

"If I haven't actually told you that I wish for you to be my father/brother sometimes when I started to think about home." I said.

"Really?" he asked.

I began to sob. "I guess you prefer to have me be at home than living here, right?"

"Oh... here now." Hazel put his arms around me and comforted me, as he removed a tear from my eye with his paw. "Yes. It's best for all of us in the warren to get you home."

I shook my head. "At least you and I could reconcile immediately. It would take a bit where I come from."

"Why's that?" he asked.

"I remember two incidents that three of my parents got into a huge fight. It was somewhat stupid really."

"What happened?" Hazel listened.

"One recent is that my father and I fought about my closet. Over a stupid closet. He wanted me to clean up after work, even before I got off work I tried to speak to him that he hung up on me and didn't bother to talk to me, instead about my closet." I told him.

"You did?" he was surprised.

"I was pissed. Even at one incident, before I got my first interview for my first job at Wal-Mart, I tried to explain to my mother that I couldn't be able to babysit at the same time. I tried to explain also that I'm waiting for a job and I couldn't remember what I said, but it upset her while trying to explain to her, that she hung up on me too, before we argued over by emailing each other, before calling her. I just told them that I'm an adult and I'm trying to make my own decisions in life. Soon after I got my first interview, they took a serious afterwards because I have a job that made me an adult. Back to my father, with the closet, years later; I did clean up and didn't want to talk to him at all, as I was upset with him. He than expects me to write a letter about my plan that he should fully know. Even that he should be patient with me because I work long days too."

"Having arguments with your parents?" Hazel questioned, before he than understands where it comes from because him as a parent. "Andrew you really should have-"

"I didn't know what to say because I stutter. So much my disability anyway that I could cause problems when explaining about my feelings or emotions. Not like to customers, they don't get all and they treated me different, but worst when they don't get their refund, their order online, even one instant that a customer said that I was slow."

Hazel sighed. "One thing about your parents... you still need to listen to them no matter what and be patient with them that comes forgiveness. Do you ever reconcile?"

"I did." I said. "Like I said, about customers again, they treat me like they care for themselves when it comes to getting what they want. Above all, almost everyone I come across at times because I'm different, funny, or weird."

"I'm sure at most times, if nobody understands you on what you do... they don't know what to say. We never consider you different from being human and treated you like you're a rabbit." Hazel patted my head, before rubbing.

I was still unsure. Hazel came up with an idea. "I'll tell you what. When you return to your world, you promise not to fight and argue anymore, and I'm sure they promise to accept you, except at certain occasions."

"Like holidays are better. Maybe we could get into these incidents on a holiday if I'm still here." I added.

"Really?" Hazel smirked and we started to have a fun tickle wrestling until I managed to hold my own. I started to hear the birds chirp and the sun was starting to come out.

"Look the sun is dawning!" I shouted.

He got up and we both watched the sun rising for a new day. "Isn't it beautifully?"

"It sure does. _Nothing gold could stay_." Hazel said and quoted.

I remembered the quote when I told him about it, before the raid at the farm of getting Tyler and Clover. "You just cited the poem I told you about."

Hazel chuckled and winked. "I guess we learn new things every day, even for you trying to be a rabbit."

I chuckled and we sat, as I rested on Hazel's side to watch the sun rise for a new day.

* * *

After the sun is up, everyone regrouped and headed our way up to the top of the cliffs. We watched the sun and the ocean overhead for the last time, before we headed back to Watership Down.

"It's time we went home." Hazel said.

"In over time, I probably forget about this place. However, deep down since I always like visiting the coast, I can't forget it." I said.

Hazel placed his paw on my shoulder and smiled, before we look at Kehaar. "Are you coming?"

We waited to see if Kehaar would decide, if he will be staying at the ocean or joining back with us to Watership Down. He turned to face a small island that apparently the seagulls live and they're starting their day.

"Kehaar miss somethings." Kehaar said as he miss times at the ocean, before meeting us. "But, I go home to Watership Down!"

Everyone cheered that he decided to join us our way back. I knew that he needed a memory lane trip.

"You Kehaar... I think it's wonderful that you're coming back. Do you ever miss the ocean most times?"

"Yes. It doesn't look same." Kehaar said.

"I know what you mean. I remember taking a trip to memory lane myself." I said.

"You go to your own 'Big Water', too?"

"Not exactly. One time I had three days off, I thought it would be nice, when I was out, to drive one of my childhood houses. I saw bits of the neighborhood changed, but it still looked the same." I recalled.

"So you been moving to different homes?" Fiver asked.

"Actually, been moving to different houses, like seven times." I said.

"Seven?" Pipkin questioned in surprise.

"Moving though, one specific time that I didn't want to move out of a house because we lived long. Unfortunately, there's been neighborhood that in a real since we had no choice for safety precautions." I continued.

"If moving to different warrens as a still a kitten, I'll probably grow tiresome." Hawkbit said.

"We all have to move at times for moving away or living on your own." I said.

We stopped to look back, before we heard a bus coming into park at the dirt roads.

"There's our ride back." I said.

"I'll follow until back to Watership Down." Kehaar takes off and soars.

The rest of us hurried over to the bus to see passengers are entering the bus, as the driver packs the passengers belongings. We soon managed to remain undetected and hopped into the trunk. I looked around to see most of them were travel backpacks or duffel bags.

"Looks like everyone is camping, all we needed was a tent and a good spot." I said.

"Don't you even think that we're heading back to 'The Great Water'." Hawkbit said.

I shrugged. "Maybe, but we don't even know where it'll be, so it maybe our one time and we could look back."

"I agree. There were many things that we don't even know, but it was fun!" Pipkin stated.

"Maybe next time we go, I'll make sure that I won't be pinched again by a crab." Hazel said.

"Hey... if you did get pinched, and I caught, we could eat." I said.

"Quiet." Hazel chuckled.

"I'm serious, I could even eat more fishes than Kehaar, except taking big bites in my mouth."

Everyone laughed from a small joke, as the bus's engine started up and we were on the road again, but heading back home.

 _To Be Continued..._


	49. Episode 18: The Stand Part 1

The Stand Part 1

Looking through my binoculars, wearing my ghillie suit, I was disguised as grass. I see Kehaar and Hannah are at the skies over-watching, before peering through my binoculars at Cowslip's Warren and this time, we're heading back to collect some of the rabbits that Hickory and Marigold knew and bring them to Redstone. I spotted Cowslip and three other rabbits _silflaying_ on grass.

"Here we are... back Cowslip's Warren on a mission to get some rabbits out of there." I said.

"Why do you have to wear it, it's not like we're raiding the warren." Bigwig questioned.

"Shhhhhh... you're blowing my cover. It's covert, it's has to be silent." I said quietly.

"If you're trying to use stealth, we could hear you." Captain Broom said, as he unveiled the hood of my suit and looking down at me.

"I wanted to remain hidden, until we go over." I said, as I stood up and putted my equipment away.

Hazel, Bigwig, and myself looked to see the warren is clear, except Cowslip and three of his rabbits are out there.

"It looks safe enough." Hazel said.

"Too safe. They don't even have a single _Owsla_ , even we first came and they're totally defenseless."

"Yeah, that's what I thought, until I stuck my neck in a snare." Bigwig said.

"At least we rescued you and you're alive. That's all it matters and we can't repeat the same mistake twice." I still remembered we rescued Bigwig from a snare and I revived him by performing CPR.

"Right, you lot remember what I said?"

" _Stay clear from the bushes... or the shining wire could get you_." Everyone said in unison.

"Oh, been harping on a bit, have I?" Bigwig chuckled.

"Yeah, you have." I said. "Almost like everyone knows it that everyone said it before you."

Bigwig stern stared at me.

"It's Cowslip that I'm worried about." Hickory feared

"He can't be happy we've left to set up another warren." Marigold added.

"You're not at fault for your decision. You decided to move away and it's good. Especially, for Kiefer Sutherland here." I assured them of their decision with a light joke.

"How many times I told you not to call me that?" Hickory questioned.

"It's not a bad compliment. It's just that you have his voice and every now and than I felt have to call you that because you two have the same voice, Hickory." I said.

"It's alright, but just call me Hickory." he said.

"Fair enough."

"Not easy to stand up to your chief, it has to be done sometimes though." Captain Broom said. "I recall a summer seasons ago now-"

"Not now Captain Broom." Primrose told him.

"What?" Captain Broom said until he remembers why we're here. "Oh quite right, time and in a place all that, eh?"

"Even for eighteen-year-olds would leave their homes and start a new life on their own." I said.

"Really, if I was that all old I would be already on my own." Captain Broom said.

"Oh, I mean human eighteen-year-olds, not rabbit years. Sorry about that." I apologized from confusing him.

"Quite alright, my boy." he assured.

After our talk, we followed Hazel to Cowslip's Warren in a single line, before we were nearly encircling Cowslip and his rabbits.

"Welcome neighbors, greetings all." Cowslip smirks and performs his dance routine when being greeted, as I remember my first visit. "It's so nice of you to call. When the evenin-"

"Cowslip, just shut up." I had enough of it.

"Spare us the song-and-dance Cowslip, we had our fill at the last time we're here." Bigwig stated and remembered our the snare incident.

"How easily good manners are brushed aside." Cowslip said.

"We did our part of manners, it's your manners that need to fix the warren's lifestyle." I added.

He looked at me. "Oh yes, the human. I'm sure another rabbit has the same experience you have."

From him saying that, I started to think about Tyler and wondered if he was here.

"Hickory and Marigold." Cowslip glared at them. "Your sweet selves have be mist-fully led."

"You'd best get used to it Cowslip, they're leaving for good." Hazel said, before looking at Hickory. "Fetch your friends."

As Hickory was about to enter the warren to grab the friends that he and Marigold know, he was blocked entry by Cowslip. "I must protest."

"As it is your right, but they have the choice to live on their own, as they're pleased! If you're willing to debate it, I could make sure you're willing to have a war if that's what you want, your decision!" I exclaimed and pushed him to the wall.

"Brute force you have, unlike your friend, who was here." Cowslip said.

I calmed myself for second and started to think Tyler was here. "Have you seem him?"

"Your friend or not, he's no where near here. Whose to say, as he slips into the shining wire." Cowslip giving me half truths, as he was lying.

Furious like Cecil from _The Color Purple_ , I pulled out my pocket knife that I recovered from my rescue from Woundwart, everyone gasped in shock like from the movie.

 _I curse you_ _! Until you do right by me, everything you think about it is going to crumble._ I quoted from the movie, as I had the tip of my knife near Cowslip's, as he was my Albert and I was Cecil.

Hazel came to my side, reached for my hand holding the knife, and slowly started to lower my hand. "Hickory and their friends are here."

"He's not worth it lad. He's not worth it." Bigwig assured me, despite he has his own intentions to tackle Cowslip himself, but he was surprised that I stepped in, before Bigwig could do it. I was still calm, before I could look back at Cowslip, I saw the same silver rabbit that I remember seeing before from my first visit. He seemed to be hiding at a times watching to see some his follow rabbits leave the warren forever.

"A weak brute force, you can't harm me. You're nothing. You're just a human, feeds us, protects us from _eili_ , you're nothing at all!" He let out his burst.

 _Until you do right by me, everything you ever think about is going to fail._ I quoted again from the movie back at Cowslip, as Hazel pulling my back from his paws on my shoulder.

Cowslip looked to see Hickory, Marigold, and four others followed them, as he returned to his calm state. "Think what you're leaving behind, friends. The songs of Silverweed, the beauty."

"We're going Cowslip." Marigold look back and stated.

"And where do you go?" he asked, as he wanted to find a way to bring them back.

"Someplace far away from this hellish, death-trap." Hazel stated, without revealing Redstone. "That's all you need to know."

"Perhaps you, human could tell me where they're going. Perhaps I could offer your friend's whereabouts." Cowslip tries to offer me a bribe that I can't refuse.

"Bribe for me is you dead and sent to the bottom, flaming pits of Hell where you're gonna burn and rot in." I said as my fury came back.

"That's enough, we're leaving." Hazel patted me, before we left from Cowslip's warren for good.

* * *

After a few shorts minutes from leaving Cowslip's Warren, we stopped and they all stared at me.

"I must say you have more of spark of killing Cowslip than I do." Bigwig said.

"We don't know that sort of thing, is there?" Captain Broom pointed out my rash reaction.

I was breathing from the inside out, as my fury flame started to disperse from lighting, from Hazel's comfort. "If something happened to Tyler from his doing, I'll make sure Hawkbit could get the kill."

"Tyler was here?" Hazel asked.

"I don't know. It sounds from what Cowslip was saying, he was there. But I don't want to say the wire took him, I prefer to say he ran away." I started to lightly sob from me thinking about Tyler.

"We will find him, hopefully soon." Bigwig assured me.

"If Cowslip did it, I'll make sure he has his first-class ticket for sure." my grudge and revenge against Cowslip could grow, if something happened to Tyler, if he was there.

"Cowslip seemed to be charm." Captain Broom pointed out the peaceful approach of Cowslip.

"He's not." Fiver spoke up. "Cowslip trades the lives of his own people food from the hand of man. He's sick, the whole warren is sick." he spoke without having livid intentions like I have, but he knows better than everyone about Cowslip and his warren.

"Seen enough sickness in my day." Captain Broom thought about his experiences that he wouldn't tell at a time like this, as he looked back.

"Let's just hope we don't come back there again." I hoped.

"We won't. Never again." Hazel assured, as he's promising like anyone else that I could rely on trust from a good brother.

We looked back to see Hickory and Marigold teaching their follow rabbits about the outside way of life for the rabbits: eating delicious flowers and plants and teaching them to dig, in times when digging a new warren and/or going on the defense. From Hickory's and Marigold's training experiences from the rabbits of Watership Down have paid off that they're officially ready.

"They've learned their lessons well." Fiver was amazed.

"I say." I agreed.

"They'll do well in Redstone." Primrose agreed also.

After from seeing first hand training of the four new rabbits, we went back to Redstone, as it was nearly renovated to the old Redstone that Primrose and Captain Broom once remember. Hickory is listening to Captain Broom's experience about Redstone and the four rabbits wandered around the warren a bit, until they were comfortable of their new home. After doing some little quick inspections of the inside of the warren, it was predestined clean from cobwebs and the smell of the outside air.

"Well, it looks good. Just like the ol' Redstone it was before." I said, as I dusted my hands together.

"We're going to be happy as 'spring lambs' here at Redstone." Marigold is in relief at the same time in joy from their breakaway from Cowslip.

"It's nice to have good neighboring rabbits, not trying to kill us all the time." Hannah stated.

"Hear hear." I hear other rabbits agreeing.

At one point, as I following their conversation, I came to notice that a strange rabbit was stalking over Redstone. I continued to watch, as the rabbit was still as a stiffed rabbit and a statue.

"Andrew, what do you think?" I faintly hear Fiver's voice. "Andrew?"

I woke up and look back at Fiver and everyone else. "Yeah it's going to be nice to have neighbors to visit at times and also for them to visit us."

After they smiled and continued back into to their conversation, I looked back to see where the stalking rabbit was and it was gone. I wasn't sure why a rabbit was stalking us like the Michael. I couldn't be able to forget that happened, but at the same time I should just relax and blend into the celebration, without thinking otherwise. Although my concerns that I do have doesn't mean it'll be perfectly safe, I fear something or someone else that will come to the picture that we know of.

"Captain Broom and I will stay awhile to show you around." Primrose decided to stay back with the new Redstone rabbits, until they're used to being around better.

"And I'll hang about until your securities are up to scratch." Bigwig volunteered also. "Don't want the _Efrafans_ stumbling on you."

From hearing Bigwig mentioning about _Efrafa_ , I thought I should stay too. "Yeah... I'll stay too... for... you know."

They nodded with agreement with light smiles. Hazel gasped as he looked at the sky.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"No, nothing at all. And speaking of _Efrafa_ , I'm due to check in with Campion. I better be off." Hazel remembered that he meets Campion around noon and again once a night at sometime to hear _Efrafa_ 's latest move.

"Chief's work is never done, eh." Bigwig said.

"Just be careful Hazel." Primrose nuzzled her mate.

"Yes please, I don't even know what to think of about _Efrafa_ , if they decided to tail Campion." I worried.

"We'll be fine. He would know if we're being watched." Hazel assured.

I nodded. "Tell him I said 'hi' if you can."

"I will. I'll be back soon." Hazel said, as he hopped away to meet with Campion.

Later after Hazel, left we went off about to check of Redstone's securities, as if we're homeowners insurance people for better coverage and home-security company to provide best security.

"We should get this run cleared." Bigwig suggested as we looked at the roses.

"Although, maybe we could leave some of those there, because not every single rabbit would wanted to be poked on. Especially of _eili_ that could create a obstacle." I added.

"True, but we also need the safety of the whole warren, including if kittens are running about." Bigwig added that we came into a good compromise.

All the sudden, we started to hear Fiver gasping quickly that a vision is kicking in.

 _Two enemies unite to spread the fight. The evil is double for twice the trouble_. Fiver visioned.

I came to Fiver's aid, as Hickory was shocked and little bit terrified from what he saw.

"It's alright Hickory, he has these funny turns." Bigwig assured Hickory.

"Funny turns, really Bigwig?" I sternly questioned.

"I mean visions, seeing the future and all." he corrected himself, while speaking to Hickory, before turning to Fiver. "And what was this one mean? Hazel isn't headed for trouble is he?"

"No..." Fiver answered, as he continues to shiver and taking slow breaths as I instructed him to, when he started to have a vision. "I don't think so. I don't know what it means."

"Just like all your visions, clear as mud." Bigwig stated. "Which two enemies unite?"

I started to think from Fiver's vision rhyme of ' _double... the trouble_ '. I realized that immediately _Efrafa_ is probably in the part of the picture. "It's _Efrafa_ isn't. Doubles _Efrafa_ and possibly another warren, trouble means..."

"Alliance?" Bigwig questioned.

"One deadly, bloody alliance!" I exclaimed. "Don't you see, it seems like _Efrafa_ is trying to make an deadly alliance, like Quan Chi and Shang Tsung!"

"Who?" he questioned.

"From one of the _Mortal Kombat_ games called _Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance_ , Quan Chi escapes the Netherrealm and found Dragon King's Army. He and Shang Tsung meet and discussed about making this alliance, in turns for sharing the powers of ruling the realms, including defeating their obstacles in their way: Shao Kahn of spoiling the power for his gains and of course Liu Kang for defeating them in a single fight." I came up with this theory. "I think _Efrafa_ and Cowslip's Warren are going to ally with each other take us and Redstone out from existance!"

From the realization, they gasped, at the same time, they were unsure even for Bigwig.

"How could you be so sure?" Bigwig asked.

"For one thing, I saw a rabbit that was stalking here, but I don't know, but it was someone and he left." I added.

"Why don't you show me?" Bigwig insisted me to show him where the rabbit was.

We hopped to a hill where the rabbit was. I looked around until I saw the rabbit's pawprint. "Here! That's where he was."

Bigwig sniffed for the pawprint. "It's little awhile ago." He continued to sniff and followed another pawprint lead. "He than left into the woods. It maybe someone spying us, but I'm not too sure it was someone from _Efrafa_ or Cowslip's."

"It has to be from one of them. That's I decided stay here until no one is spied upon. Until Fiver's vision came to the picture, it has to be someone from them to spy on us to get back information."

They all looked at each other and understand my point. "I guess you did make your point, we'll stay wait until something else comes along, but in the mean time be in stand by."

I nodded my head. When they left, Fiver and I were by ourselves.

"How do you know if it was _Efrafa_ and Cowslip's warren?" Fiver asked.

"When mentioned about 'double... the trouble', it made me think about the two enemies we have: _Efrafa_ , who wanted to destroy us, and Cowslip's because we believe their way of life is wrong, opposite to the traditional standards of how you rabbits live."

Fiver smiled. "It's wonderful to have a good friend understanding my visions and know what they mean."

I smiled back with my arm around his shoulder like we're buds. "We're friends and friends help each other. Also, at times from my Autism I think of pictures and connections to certain things at times."

We headed back to Redstone, as I look back to where the stalking rabbit stood, I realized that a... deadly alliance is forming.

 _To Be Continued..._


	50. Episode 18: The Stand Part 2

The Stand Part 2

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas in this episode. Since this is the 50th chapter, I would like to thank my fellow readers for your support of reading this remake since the beginning and your ideas. I'm glad you all are enjoying it.

For the entire day, we continued to be on stand by for any case of danger to the new Redstone Warren. As the evening came, we managed to have a feast for a celebration of our new neighbors. The feast was more of carrots, turnips, and clover. Hazel manages to give a great speech for this occasion and congratulating Hickory, Marigold, and four other rabbits from Cowslip's Warren leave and start over to live the way of the rabbits. I was slightly joyed for Hickory's and Marigold's decision, but I still feel that Tyler was still missing that I hardly feel the festive mood that I didn't even have a bite. As everyone cheered for their independence, I excused myself to go outside.

As I continued to hear the cheers of the celebration continues, I couldn't help to think about Tyler. If what Cowslip said was true, Tyler may have escape or worst... he could be dead from the shining wire. I refuse to believe the worst of it and I intended to make sure he returns back to our warren, before I could decide to return home. I laid my head back on a boulder to watch the clear, starry night.

"Too much celebration?"

I turned over to see Hazel and Fiver came out from the warren.

"I could when it could be at too much, brothers."

Hazel chuckled.

"We don't have to go back. We could stay out with you." Fiver suggested.

I nodded. "I like that. Too much party noise sometimes could wear me down."

They warmly smiled, as I look back up to the sky and they sat by my side to join the wonders of the night.

"Just look at them... they're so small... vast and infinite... where I come from, science would consider them just other planets and unknown planets." I shook my head. "They don't have a single speck that could be God's eyes."

"Sometimes like we all do, humans make mistakes. You're not one of those 'man'." Hazel said.

I chuckled. "I guess not."

Something came out of nowhere that zoomed fast. "Look! A shooting star." The three of us watched the shooting star zoomed across the sky, before it disappeared from sight.

"Nice find. And a long one too." Fiver said. "We've been told that when _Frith_ leaves, as the night approaches, he visits other planets."

"Including our ancestors that lived before us." Hazel added.

It sounded fitting, even if someone died at night, their soul soars across the sky to head towards Heaven. "I like that. Do you guys ever make a wish upon a star?"

The two brothers looked at each other, before looking back at me. "Making a wish?"

I shrugged. "It's just that a lot of humans see a shooting star and they make a wish. Probably one day their wish could come true."

"Well... if you did, what do you wish for?" Hazel asked.

My smile faded to uncertainty. "Something I can't have."

They wondered what it was, but I didn't bother to go further, but instead to continue to watch for more shooting stars.

"Hazel." We heard Bigwig's voice, before he showed. "Hickory and Marigold wanted to speak to us regarding a 'black rabbit'."

* * *

We decided to head back inside, as the celebration of chattering continues. Hickory and Marigold find an empty and more quiet burrow to have a discussion.

"We hope we don't mean to intrude, but whose Tyler?" Hickory asked.

"Tyler was a friend and a fellow rabbit in our warren. After him, Pipkin, and I were freed from _Efrafa_ , he ran away." I answered.

"We've been looking him for a while and didn't have any luck of finding him." Hazel added.

"Do you know, if he was there?" Fiver asked.

Hickory think, along with Marigold.

"I do remember that we have seen a 'black rabbit'." Marigold recalled.

It gave us a little hope. "Does he look like a kitten and have a Zune Player with him, with his vest?"

"He did have something like that and he told us that 'Tyler' was his name." Hickory answered.

"It was him!" I exclaimed and a sudden cough came out of no where. I decided to stay calm, as my head started to feel little ache and warm.

"He didn't stay long, sadly because Cowslip has been spying him, especially for his... 'Zune'. It made Tyler uncomfortable and also of seeing a rabbit caught in a snare, he managed to free him, before escaping from the warren." Hickory continued.

"He did escape?" Bigwig asked.

"We don't know. We presume he did, because he seemed to be an intelligent buck." Marigold answered.

"We're sorry, if we didn't keep him long enough." they apologized.

"You have nothing to apologize, you two." Hazel assured them.

"Let's hope and trust in _Frith_ that Tyler is somewhere safer than being at Cowslip's Warren." Fiver hoped.

"Me too." I agreed, as of everyone agreed also. Fiver and myself walked Hazel back outside, before Hazel would be leaving again for meeting Campion at night. I started cough that I started to lose bit of breathing, as I continued to cough more. Hazel and Fiver looked back, as we got outside.

"Andrew, are you alright?" Fiver asked in concern.

I cleared my throat, as it felt a bit of scratch. "I'm okay. I'm fine."

"Perhaps you should lie down for the night." Hazel suggested.

"I probably will. I'll try to look at the stars a little more." I decided.

"Will you be alright, I could stay." Hazel thought of considering to cancel his meeting with Campion.

"No, it's alright. It's important to know what _Efrafa_ is planning." I said, as my voice deepened.

Hazel nodded. "Just rest and we'll be home in the morning to recover." he said, before he departed to meet with Campion.

"I don't know why I'm feeling like this." I didn't have the slightest clue, as I'm starting to feel sick.

"Just rest out here and I'll be here." Fiver suggested.

"No. I can't get you sick! You guys should stay back inside the warren. I'll be fine until morning." I assured.

"I cannot leave you like this! You have done this for me back at Cowslip's, now I'll look after you to make sure you're taken care of." Fiver protested and wanted to stay by my side.

I couldn't help, but thank him for not leaving me, as when someone is sick, they would give them space to avoid them, unlike some would be able to take care you and help that person to recover. I was lying on the grass with my head on my bag and I guess Fiver decided to lie on my legs.

"Making sure you're warm." he friendly smiled.

"Thank you, Fiver. You're like a best brother to me." He wasn't like my twins at half times that they don't listen or they do listen to help you.

I decided to give myself a shut eye, hoping that I could recover my minor cold or a 24 hour bug in the next day. No less than five minutes, I started to hear Fiver screaming in fear. I woke up to see him staring up in the starry skies.

 _A warning comes from the lone and the brave. The one who will save us, is the one who we can't save!_ Fiver visioned, as he continues to moan like he's in pain. Everyone came out of the warren.

"What's happened?" Hickory asked.

"It's Fiver, he had a vision." I answered and I looked back at Fiver. "Fiver, are you alright? Please speak to us."

He gasped. " _The Black Rabbit of Inle_ is coming for one of us."

All of us were surprised, as if a suspense music is sounding off.

"Which one of us?" Primrose asked.

Fiver closed his eyes and shook his head. "I don't know. I just don't know."

I started to think if maybe I'm it, because I started to feel a bit sick and I don't have any vitamin C material to help me battle it off or proper fluids, except sleep. "What if he's coming after me?"

They all turned at me in shock, as I coughed.

"Don't talk like that. He only comes after a rabbit." Bigwig thought I was being foolish, until I coughed again, but harder that it hurt my throat that everyone became too concern. "Are you alright?"

"I don't know, I didn't feel like eating during the celebration, as I was too think much about Tyler at the same time, my stomach hurt." I answered. "I suggest no one goes near me, until I'm better in the morning."

"You're going to stay out here alone?" Captain Broom questioned.

"If that's what it takes. I don't want you guys to get sick and causing a sickness." I assured.

"Suite yourself, be careful now lad." Bigwig went inside, as others wished the best of my health that I feel better from my cold. Fiver continued to stay out here like on guard, at the same time I suggested he should distance a little away from me so he doesn't get sick.

* * *

We both fell asleep and I woke up in the middle of the night, as it wasn't near dawn at all. I noticed that Fiver is asleep next to me. I started to cough again and my head resume aching, so I tried to lie back down to sleep. Only after forty minutes, I couldn't be able to fall back asleep. I than saw a rabbit coming out of the warren and it was Primrose. I wasn't sure why she's up, but I'm coming to the impression that it has to be from Fiver's vision, as she headed back to the warren; she couldn't stop thinking about it.

I got up and went to her, as she was looking towards the distance.

"Primrose?"

She looked back. "Andrew. You can't sleep?"

"Not great, also from the fact that been over forty minutes, I can't even go back to sleep." I said, as I coughed again.

"Are you sure you're alright? You sounding ill." she worried.

"I'm fine, hoping a small cold will past eventually." I assured her. "Why can't you fall asleep?"

"I couldn't fall asleep after Fiver's vision. I tried to close my eyes, but I see _The Black Rabbit of Inle_." she answered.

"Like a dream?" I questioned.

"No, as if he was there. Coming for one of us." she worried.

"You two seemed to be up. Can't sleep?" we turned around to see Bigwig spotting us.

"Yes." I answered, before my cough came back. "I just woke up and been over minutes that I tried to go back to sleep, but I couldn't."

"Myself including, without thinking about _The Black Rabbit_ taking one of us." Primrose said.

"He comes for all of us sooner or later. No point of worrying about it." Bigwig said.

I continued to cough harder that I almost chocked that I started to kneel on the ground.

"Take it easy, lad." Bigwig placed his paws on my shoulder, as I coughed harder and harder nonstop.

"He may come for me, where's Hazel?!" I started to think hallucinate. "I need my parents! Especially my mother!"

Before Bigwig could answer, we heard someone coming towards us, thinking it could be Hazel. It was Campion and he was breathing rapidly, as he was like running all over the place.

"Campion, you're a bit far off your edge." Bigwig stated.

"Woundwart is on his way! Get everyone out!" Campion exclaimed. "Quickly!"

Bigwig didn't bother to question, as Woundwart plans to raid the warren. Bigwig hurried back to the warren to get everyone in Redstone out.

"He's coming, with Cowslip's help." I said to myself.

"Campion, you're risking your life for us again." Primrose said, as she remembers how Campion risked his life before.

"For you Primrose." Campion said, before he turned towards me. "What happened to you?"

I started to feel some unusual symptoms that I'm not even sure what I have or if I'm having a flu. "I'm feeling sick, I'm not so sure what though. I was feeling fine in the early evening and now I'm starting to cough."

We watched as Bigwig started to give everyone assignments, as he hurried off to do what he needed to do to clear any evidence that we were here. I was too weak to move or try to, as I'm starting to become dizzy, like I was going to vomit. I started to see rabbits clearing their tracks, as I just sat there couldn't be able to move and feeling more sick than before.

"Are you needing a hand?" a voice came from another rabbit.

I just shook my head and refused his help.

"I'll make sure to let them know you're still here." he spoke, before he headed off.

As everyone was gone, it was the best for them to avoid me as I'm sick and safe from Woundwart. If he decided to take me in again, I prefer to get myself sicker that I would rather die in the morning. I than saw a rabbit to which it was Captain Broom was coming towards me.

"What're you doing here?! I'm sick and I can't barely move, go on! I'll be fine!" I insisted.

"Not in that tone, my boy. I'm intending to stay behind and not letting Redstone being destroyed again." Captain Broom was committed to stay behind to defend the warren.

"I'm sick and I'd rather not have you getting sick from me." I said.

"Right, right. However, we could have a plan to fool Woundwart." he started to have a plan.

"And what's that?"

"I recall about 'The Great Sickness' in Redstone. How everyone got sick and they were all taken by _The Black Rabbit_." he recalled about Redstone's epidemic that nearly wiped out the entire warren, leaving him behind.

"Yes, you told us about, after Hazel, Primrose, and yourself came to Watership Down." I remembered.

"Well... we'll just have to be sick." he said.

"Good plan, but I'm actually sick." I said.

"Of course, but hopefully you'll be better in the morning that you'll be able to trick them, that you still are."

I decided to listen to what Captain Broom has planned and I decided to fall asleep to see, if I could be able to recover in the morning at least.

* * *

I woke up in the morning, but this time, I couldn't barely move my body and my coughing became worst. The sun was passed of rising for a new day. I tried to get up, but my right leg wouldn't be able to make me walk straight, as I felt some sort of pain on the bottom of my foot. I looked around, as if I was at a party at night and found out the next morning was completely empty. Finally, I remembered why everyone was gone, because Woundwart and his rabbits are going to raid the warren any moment. Out of desperation, I tried to look for a hiding spot to hide. My coughs came back and I started to feel chest and foot pains that I fell onto the grass and moaned in pain.

"Please... someone... help me." I tried to speak, but I was too weak to speak louder, as my coughs continued.

My chest was on fire of pain and my feet feel pain and annoyance. _Great, I don't know how it could get any worse._

I looked by the hill to see Woundwart and Vervain standing there with a few rabbits. I disorient heard Woundwart shouted of command to attack the warren. The first of the rabbits that approached me was Vervain. He made his devilish smile, as he recognized me right away.

"Too bad your friends have left you." he spoke. "General... the warren is empty sir. There's been someone here recently"

General Woundwart came to him and recognized me also with both of them looking down at me. "Perhaps you could tell me where did the whole warren went?"

I continued to cough and groaned in pain. "I'm dead, get it over with."

Woundwart raised his paw, as Vervain was eager to see my demise. I decided to think it was the end and wanting my suffering to be over, either I wake up in a bed from a dream... or I'll be facing Judgment at the Gates.

 _Oh bless my tail, visitors_. They heard someone else was here and I turned my head to see who it was. Captain Broom came out of the warren! I couldn't imagine how he would handle a army of Woundwart's men.

"That's my bleary, old eyes good to rest on another rabbit at last." Captain Broom spoke.

I was clueless, at the same time confused on what he was doing.

"Identify yourself!" Vervain demanded.

"Don't do... it-" I tried to speak out to Captain Broom, but Vervain's foot stomped on my chest making more pains and coughs.

"Silence!"

"Captain Broom, retired. And there's no need of violence on this poor chap." Captain Broom introduced himself, as he also requested to have non-violent gesture. Vervain removed his foot off my chest.

"We've been alone. All of these seasons since 'The Great Sickness'."

Woundwart and his men gasped.

"'The Great Sickness'." Vervain whispered. Without any hesitation, Woundwart stepped away from me to think I have "The Great Sickness"

"Stay back!" Woundwart shouted.

"Sad to see the whole warren go, except this young fellow. He has been taking care of the whole warren, until he got sick. We haven't spoken to a rabbit since and we only have each other." Captain Broom sadly spoke, as he patted on my head. "Will you be staying then? There's lots of room now. Used to be a fine place, mind you. I could tell you stories all I could-"

"Fake warren! Pull back! Retreat, pull back!" Woundwart ordered his troops to fall back, as they withdraw from the warren. I watched to see them leave the area and headed to the woods.

"There were good times in my stories." Captain Broom reminisce on his stories back in Redstone days.

I chuckled, before a horrible cough broke from this moment. He came to my side. "Rest now my dear boy."

"Only I wish... I was faking." I said weakly.

He tried to investigate, as he lifted my shirt to see some sort of lesion on my chest. "Oh no. You may have it."

"Have what?"

"'The Great Sickness'." Captain Broom replied.

A sudden pain kicked in and more painful than before. My chest was burning up in flames, my head was aching and warming up, as my cough was constant. After six coughs, I fell back my head back with Captain Broom catching my head with hitting hard on the ground and I fainted.

* * *

My eyes started to blank slowly as it was blurred. I continued to feel the pains in my chest, but I was no longer coughing, however I still feel very sickly like I'm in bed. I tried to lift my head up to see the lesion on my chest, until I was being touched on the back of my head and gently placed back down.

"No need to see it again, my dear." I heard a voice of a angel that was sounding like my mother.

"Mom?" I said weakly. "Am I home?"

I was than being hushed to see a light blue paw and looked up to see Blackberry and Hazel.

"It's Blackberry and Hazel. We're here." she spoke. "You're back at Watership Down."

"What happened to Redstone?" I asked.

"Redstone is safe, along with everyone else in that warren. You and Captain Broom tricked the whole army." Hazel answered.

"He did. He knew what he was doing all along. He thought I was going to better and I thought I was too. I was going to pretend that I was sick." I explained.

"Don't worry about it. You two saved the warren and that's all it matters." Hazel spoke.

"I just have some water with some herbs for you to drink on this leaf. It'll help fight the sickness." Blackberry offered me a small leaf filled with water.

I slowly drink some of the water, or what seemed to be medicine. My throat tickled from the liquid, but it'll be beneficial, if it was going to help me recover.

"Thank you Blackberry and Hazel." I thanked them. "How did I get back?"

"We carried you on my back." Hazel answered.

I sighed for relief. "For a moment, I thought I was going to be taken back. It wouldn't matter, because I was sick and I might have died sooner or later."

"You don't need to think about, Andrew." Blackberry said.

"Where's everyone else, even Campion?" I asked.

Hazel and Blackberry looked at each other, as Hazel didn't know what to say.

"Fiver, Bigwig, Primrose, Captain Broom, Hannah and Kehaar are home with us. Campion has been arrested."

"What?!" I was shocked.

"He hurried to Cowslip's Warren where Woundwart was going to attack, but Campion saved him from the shining wires. Vervain suspects Campion as a spy and arrested him." Hazel continued.

"No, no, no, no." I couldn't believe that Campion is now about to go through the same phrase like I have back in _Efrafa_.

"We will get him. I promise and to Primrose." Hazel promised.

"As Fiver visioned..." I started to remember about Fiver's vision on the night before. " _A warning comes from the lone and the brave. The one who will save us is the one we can't save_."

"Now you got to get some rest. You're in good paws now." Hazel said.

Blackberry nodded and gently placed my head on my pillow. "I'll be back soon after you're fully rested." They both gave me a nuzzle and hopped out of the burrow. I closed my eyes and started to fall asleep to focus on my recovery, before searching for Campion.

 _To Be Continued..._


	51. Episode 19: The Orchard Prologue

The Orchard Prologue

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas for this prologue and this upcoming episode.

 _A few weeks earlier..._

Since after I spotted Andrew at the market, I was still certain that I should keep myself away from Watership Down. Despite of him saying that they're worried, it doesn't changed from what Hawkbit said and I believed it was best to stay away. As I was heading back towards countryside and I was near Watership Down, I looked back at the hill still contemplating in a decision to return or continue to run away. I began to hear the rustles at the orchard. I lifted my ears to listen and I started to hear a snarl of a badger. I decided to follow the sounds, until I saw a large badger being trapped inside a cage. The badger was strong as it tried to break itself free from the trap, the cage was locked. Despite of being taught to fear of badgers as _elil_ , I wouldn't turn back on a helping animal in need large or small.

I hopped over to the cage and the badger made a growl. I tried to calm it down. "Please, let me help you." I pleaded.

The badger's growling and snarling faded. "Bark need help."

I started to look at the cage and noticed a lever that could open the cage. I placed my paws on the lever and pulled it to unlock the cage. After it was unlock, Bark bashed through the cage's gate and she was free. She turned around and came towards me.

"Bark thank you." she thanked me.

"Anytime, I'm Tyler Damien. What happened to you?" I asked.

"Bark hurt by being tricked." she answered. "Bark hurt by everyone."

"Even animals?" I wasn't surprised.

"Yes, they run away from Bark. They fear Bark. Bark want friend." she was nearly into tears, but she held it back as she was used to being hurt.

"I know how you feel. Never being accepted or they think you're..." I started to move my paws around. "Different."

"Yes, Bark is different."

"Of course you're. I haven't met another badger, despite of them looking ferocious, but you're the opposite." I spoke.

She than gave me a strangely look at me. "Bark want to know what is it?" She started to point at my headphones.

"It's my headphones, I have a Zune HD. It's a music player and I'm..." I was nearly reveling who I was, but I decided to say it to Bark. "To be honest Bark, I'm a human, but live again as a rabbit."

"How, Bark asked?" she asked.

"It's a long story, but while I was still alive as a young boy, I would help any critter that is in harms way, like you have been through." I continued on to tell her about my experiences, as she was amazed.

"Let Bark help you." she offered for my help.

I looked back at the hills and I rather not stay near the down. "I like to accept it, but I rather not be around the down."

"With rabbits, they fear Bark. They run away." she said.

"That's why I'm running away. So they won't have to worry about a human-rabbit, because I'm different." I added. "You know, whenever I don't feel accepted or that I don't belong, I listen to this song. You want to hear it?"

"Bark yes. Bark wants to hear." she answered.

I unplugged my headphones and we listened to the song playing on my Zune HD.

 _Crowded hallways are the loneliest places_  
 _For outcasts and rebels_  
 _Or anyone who just dares to be different_  
 _And you've been trying for so long_  
 _To find out where your place is_  
 _But in their narrow minds_  
 _There's no room for anyone who dares to do something different_  
 _Oh, but listen for a minute_

 _Trust the one_  
 _Who's been where you are wishing all it was_  
 _Was sticks and stones_  
 _Those words cut deep but they don't mean you're all alone_  
 _And you're not invisible_  
 _Hear me out,_  
 _There's so much more to life than what you're feeling now_  
 _Someday you'll look back on all these days_  
 _And all this pain is gonna be invisible_  
 _Oh, invisible_

 _So your confidence is quiet_  
 _To them quiet looks like weakness_  
 _But you don't have to fight it_  
 _'Cause you're strong enough to win without a war_  
 _Every heart has a rhythm_  
 _Let yours beat out so loudly_  
 _That everyone can hear it_  
 _Yeah, I promise you don't need to hide it anymore_  
 _Oh, and never be afraid of doing something different_  
 _Dare to be something more_

 _Trust the one_  
 _Who's been where you are wishing all it was_  
 _Was sticks and stones_  
 _Yeah, the words cut deep but they don't mean you're all alone_  
 _And you're not invisible_  
 _Hear me out,_  
 _There's so much more of this life than what you're feeling now_  
 _And someday you'll look back on all these days_  
 _And all this pain is gonna be invisible_

 _These labels that they give you_  
 _just 'cause they don't understand_  
 _If you look past this moment_  
 _You'll see you've got a friend_  
 _Waving a flag for who you are_  
 _And all you're gonna do_  
 _Yeah, so here's to you_  
 _And here's to anyone who's ever felt invisible_

 _Yeah, and you're not invisible_  
 _Hear me out,_  
 _There's so much more to life than what you're feeling now_  
 _And someday you'll look back on all these days_  
 _And all this pain is gonna be invisible_  
 _It'll be invisible_


	52. Episode 19: The Orchard Part 1

The Orchard Part 1

It's been nearly a week since I got the flu. I was being taken great care of from my friends of Watership Down, such as Blackberry using her knowledge about herbs and plants to help me heal. With some rest and the medicines that she improvised helped me recover until a week has passed. On my seventh day, I woke up out of my bed and felt that my strength came back. I looked to see the lesion on my chest was gone, as well as another lesion on my right foot that Blackberry pointed out while I was still recovering. I wasn't sure to call it a cold, but according to the rabbits; I had "The Great Sickness" that destroyed Redstone and other warrens that were infected by the disease. I looked around the burrow to see I was back in my burrow, probably been carried back, since I was at a further burrow to keep the sickness away from everyone else. After putting on my shirt, socks, pants, shoes on, and have my travel bag with me, I decided to go find Hazel to speak about Campion. After leaving my burrow, I continued to walk on the halls that led to the Honeycomb where some of the rabbits were mingling socially with each other.

"Look! It's Andrew!" I heard one of the rabbits and everyone gathered around, as if a miracle occurred. Everyone nearly circled around me.

"Thank _Frith_ and _Prince Rainbow's_ blessings!." Dandelion praised.

 _"_ We thought you were gone for good." Hawkbit added.

"Me?" I questioned, but I realized that the sickness was severe that I probably would have died.

"Looks like someone is back on their toes again." I heard Blackberry's voice, as she came towards me.

"Blackberry... I don't know how to start, but I have to thank you..." I than looked back at everyone. "Perhaps everyone for looking after when I was unable to take care of myself."

"Nothing at all and you don't need to thank us." Blackberry obliged. "We look after one another."

I nodded my head.

"Well bless my tail! You're recovered, dear boy." Captain Broom came.

"Sir-"

"You call me Captain Broom." he smiled, as everyone chuckled.

"Captain. I have to thank you for staying behind to look after me before Woundwart came. And of course, I know you wouldn't leave because Redstone was once your home." I thanked him.

"Nothing at all, my boy." he said.

I looked around to see Hazel was missing. "Where's Hazel?"

"He and Bigwig just left for the orchard. They're trying to see about the delicious apples that came this season." Fiver answered.

"I'll go see that than, I'll be back soon." I said.

"Mind we come along, we'll like to have a taste of those apples." Pipkin wanted to tag along.

"Pipkin, they'll be back with them, I'm sure they won't be long." Fiver assured him before turning to me. "Besides, you should stay here for a bit you just recovered."

"Don't worry, I'm fine. I'll just take it easy for one day that's all." I assured Fiver it'll be a short time.

I left the Honeycomb and continued to follow the tunnel that leads outside. The skies has some clouds, but the smell of the air is clean... and fruitful from apples nearby when I walked towards the edge of the down. The trees' leaves had changed, as the summer winds started to change into fall winds.

 _I guess Fall is here._ I said to myself.

I started my journey downhill and headed towards the trees, as I continued to smell more apples. My stomach began to rumble and started to feel hungry. "I might as well start with something healthy at least."

When I looked around, I found myself at an orchard of apples. Seems like to me that I could always replenish my food with apples. I heard some chattering, as I was there and I decided to follow the voices. When I got close enough, I hid behind a tree to peek. I spotted Hazel and Bigwig gathering some of the fallen apples from the trees.

"All these apples just waiting for us. We'll eat well this season." Hazel said.

Bigwig spotted an apple that was close enough that he could reach it, but he kept trying to hop for it with no success.

"There's plenty just lying around." Hazel said.

"But this one is perfect." Bigwig continued to reach for the reddest apple.

"It'll be here when we come back." Hazel assured him.

"Fine, but no one gets that beauty, but me." Bigwig claimed for his apple.

I smirk of a funny surprise to them, especially Bigwig. I broke off a good size of a bark from the tree and started to sharp it with my pocket knife. I managed to make the tip as a arrowhead shape. I steadied my aim for the apple above Bigwig. I tossed the arrowhead stick, as it managed to cut the apple's stem and the apple fall on top of Bigwig's head.

"Oi!" Bigwig felt the impact and a hard one. As Hazel chuckled a little, as they looked around to see who did it. I decided to come out of hiding and walked to them.

"Did I do that?" I joked with my Urkel impression.

"Andrew, you're awake!" Hazel was surprised.

"I guess apples fall from the tree." I joked, with Hazel laughing.

"Damn you, Andrew. It's not funny!" Bigwig exclaimed.

"What are you going to do with the apple if you made it fall down, Bigwig?" I asked.

"I was going to eat. I guess I have to say thank you for it, but it's still mine."

"By all means." I smiled.

"Anyway, how did you get better very quickly?" Bigwig asked. "If a rabbit had 'The Great Sickness', normally _The Black Rabbit_ would come."

I shrugged. "I guess I felt better, with your guys help."

"It's great to see you a lot better." Hazel placed his paw on my shoulder.

A rustle came out of no where that all three of us heard it. We looked around to see no where is nearby, but maybe someone was watching us.

"Ears up you two, I don't think we're alone here." Hazel warned us.

"It may be a human nearby, because they may collect some apples. Which explains about a ladder and some wood buckets." I thought.

We hear the rustle louder, as we looked behind us to see a creature coming out.

"A badger! I never seen one that I recall." I said.

Although we started to move back, as they taught me that a badger would engage at you, if you move quickly. "No sudden movements now, Andrew." Bigwig warned me.

The badger came and grabbed the apple that I tossed at. It started to come towards us, as it was about to offer an apple.

"Run!" Hazel shouted, as Bigwig followed.

"Wait a minute!" I tried to hurry and was going to try to convince them that the badger was trying to offer an apple. As I looked back, the badger tossed the apple and went back into hiding.

Usually, badgers would probably try to hunt a rabbit for it's meal, but it this badger was different. I wasn't really sure, but it was trying to make friends with us. I didn't thought of going back, so I decided to catch up with Hazel and Bigwig, as they made it half way up the hill.

"That was a near thing." Hazel was panting.

"Biggest badger I ever came across. Did you see the size of those claws?" Bigwig asked.

"Yeah, but it seemed not very threatening from what I saw. It was trying to offer us an apple." I said.

"So much for an easy meal." Hazel added.

"Not even a bite of that perfect apple. Oh well." Bigwig said.

"It was the same apple that it grabbed and it was trying to give it to you." I said. "Or maybe it was offering it too me, so you won't have to feel weary that I could have ate it."

Bigwig sternly stared at me. "Luckily, you're better now, so I can give you a thrashing just like Hawkbit and Dandelion."

"At least I'm not worst than they're." I rebuttal.

"Too right, mate."

* * *

We climbed up the hill to see Pipkin was telling stories to Gillia, Snowdrop, and Mallow, while Kehaar and Fiver were watching.

"And a weasel came at me! Eyes glowing in the dark, teeth glinting in the night of the moon." Pipkin went on his story.

"Than you run, didn't you?" Gilia asked.

"I would! I would run like _El-Ahrairah_." Mallow stated.

"Ah, smart thing to do." Kehaar agreed.

"Running away isn't the answer to everything, now do you want to hear the weasel story or not?" Pipkin became aggravated from being interrupted from his story telling.

"Not before their afternoon nap, they don't." Primrose came out, as she's about tell their kittens it was their nap time. "Gilia, Snowdrop, Mallow, off you go."

"Oh mother, he was just at the good part." Gilia moaned.

"Pipkin, you're getting bad as Dandelion." Primrose said, before she followed her kittens for their nap, as she thinks that Pipkin's becoming Dandelion when it comes to story telling to her kittens.

"'Running away isn't the answer to everything'." Fiver impersonated Pipkin.

"Well it isn't! Bigwig said so." Pipkin disagreed. "And who wants to hear a story about running away!"

"I guess you're giving him a lot of motivation when it comes to heroic story telling." I said to Bigwig. "For Dandelion is more traditionalist."

"Always wanted to keep the excitement." Bigwig said.

We headed our way towards the down, as Pipkin hurried towards us, expecting to hear about the orchard visit.

"Did you find it, did you find the orchard?" he asked.

"Yes, we found it." Hazel answered.

"Not that it does us any good, there's a snarling great badger living there." Bigwig added.

"Dude seriously, it didn't look that threatening when it comes to apples." I rebuttal.

"Threat or not, for now the orchard is off limits, Pipkin." Hazel set the restriction of going to the orchard, before he and Bigwig headed back inside the warren.

Pipkin was disappointed from not being able to go to the orchard that he began to mope.

"Oh cheer up your face Pipkin! Come on, no one wants to eat rotten apples anyway." Kehaar tries to cheer him up.

"I do!" Pipkin exclaimed. "And please don't offer me fish to make up for it."

"Okay." Kehaar sighed, before he flies off to grab a bite of fish.

Pipkin hopped towards the edge of the down to look overhead of the orchard, as Fiver turned towards me.

"Something on your mind?" Fiver asked.

"It's that badger I saw." I answered.

"Not a good way to meet one."

"Well no... I noticed, before I joined Hazel and Bigwig of withdrawing, I noticed that the badger was trying to offer us an apple."

Fiver was mystified from the badger's gesture. "Why would you think a badger would do that?"

"I don't know. I could only think it was probably lonely and wanted to make friends or something." I said, as we walked over towards Pipkin.

"Hmmm... you can smell the apples from all the way up here." Pipkin envied the smell of red apples.

"Nothing like that scent." Fiver couldn't help, but smell the fruity air.

"You guys are amateurs when comes to fruit." I smelled also.

"What kind of fruits you would eat?" Fiver asked.

"Varies: apples of course, purple grapes, oranges (and cuties), bananas, and peaches. I always love the taste of a juicy peach. It reminds me of _James and The Giant Peach_."

"I beg your pardon?" Fiver asked.

" _James and The Giant Peach_. I read the book and notably I saw the movie also: It tells a story of a boy that he lived happily with his parents, until his parents were killed by a rhinoceroses."

"How terrible." Fiver was a bit sadden from the opening.

"To make it even worse, he ends up living his two horrible aunts. Until one day, he met an elderly man, whom gave James 'crocodile tongues'."

"Tongues?" Fiver questioned.

"Yes, but anyway, James was given to. He tripped, as he headed back home and spilled the 'crocodile tongues' to a peach tree that a peach grew into a giant peach. Later in one night, he was send by his aunts to clean up the mess from the aunts selling tickets for tourists to see the giant peach. James found a tunnel which leads him inside the peach and from there meets some bugs: centipede, earthworm, grasshopper, ladybug, spider, glowworm, and a silkworm. Later, they would travel on the peach to New York City and lived there happily."

"Let's go down there to taste an apple." Pipkin suggested. "They only come around once every circle of seasons."

"Not all of them, but most do." I added.

"And a scent don't fill up your stomach does it." Fiver said.

They looked behind the warren and no one was watching. I knew trouble may come ahead that I wouldn't be able to believe what they're up to.

"Let's go." Pipkin suggested. They started to go downhill, but I tried to block them in their path.

"Are you out of your mind?! If they discovered you guys gone, they're going to give you a thrashing." I protested.

Fiver was unsure, but remind silent with concern.

"Come on, Andrew! It's not like they're going to know that we're there, aren't we?" Pipkin said in a rash state, as he suspects that I would tattle.

I shook my head of disapproval. "It's going to come out of mine mouth in front of Bigwig, but probably Hazel or no one. Centipede." They continued to head their way towards the orchard, as I climbed my way back to the top.

When I got up there, I decided to put on my tunes from my phone and took shade underneath the peach tree to watch the sun, as a breeze comes by.

 _She's like starin' at the sun_  
 _She could easily blind someone_  
 _Other women, I see none_  
 _She's like starin' at the sun_

 _She gets on you_  
 _Under your skin like a tattoo_  
 _She'll always be there_  
 _She holds on, stuck in your head like an old song_  
 _She ain't goin' nowhere_

 _She's like standin' in the rain_  
 _Washes all my cares away_  
 _At the end of a long, hot day_  
 _She's like standin' in the rain_

 _She gets on you_  
 _Under your skin like a tattoo_  
 _She'll always be there_  
 _She holds on, stuck in your head like an old song_  
 _She ain't goin' nowhere_

As I was listening to Jason Aldean, someone was blocking the sun's path. I opened my eyes to see Hazel.

"Trying to make an entrance?" I asked.

"Not at all." Hazel chuckled.

I took off my headphones. "A nice early fall day, next thing we'll know that Winter would come soon."

Hazel sat next to me and watched the sun, as we're underneath the tree. I started to think about me asking about Campion, but since it was a good day to lie about out in the sun, it would not wanted to ruin it.

"Do you know what we should do?" Hazel asked.

"Go for a swim in the brook?" I suggested.

"Nope, how about a game of _Bobstones_?" Hazel suggested.

I chuckled. "Hazel, you know that you probably beat me again. I only played once that was the same day that we got stuck in the cave."

"Come on, now. You already seen how we played, perhaps you could probably prove yourself and tie our tier."

"A two-in-one game? Alright, I must be out of my mind."

"Besides, the first time it wasn't bad and you were getting very good at it." Hazel encouraged me from our last match.

"Alright, you got yourself a deal!" I accepted his challenge, as we lend a hand/paw with a shake and decided to accept his challenge and hopefully I could even out the match to get myself a win, since he won our first tier match.

 _To Be Continued..._


	53. Episode 19: The Orchard Part 2

The Orchard Part 2

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas once again for this episode.

Our _Bobstone_ challenge got almost everyone's attention, as a human underdog goes up against the leader of the warren and knew how to play the game. Everyone was speculating that most would think that Hazel will take the win, since our last match. However, since the first time I played, I may have discovered his strategy that would help me improvise or make a strategy for myself. The other advantage was since I was taught how to play and watched others play _Bobstones_ , it would lighten my chances for my first win. I was holding on the stones, hidden underneath my hands, a one-one round of victories. Hazel was still determined, as I kept myself calm and try to make a bluff in every inch as possible, but at times it worked or it doesn't. It was been over five minutes since he had to think this last round for him to make a guess.

"Should I put on my _Jeopardy_ thinking music or are you going to make a guess?" I smirked.

"Come on, Hazel. You might as well guess or lose gracefully to an underdog." Bigwig added.

"Don't rush me, you two." Hazel shook his head, as he's still thinking.

In the middle of this round, I saw Pipkin coming towards behind him and it looked that something was wrong with him. "Hazel."

"In a minute, Pipkin." Hazel spoke. "I'm about to give young Andrew here a thrashing."

Pipkin started to shiver that I was becoming a bit concern, if something happened to him and Fiver at the orchard. I wanted to head over there to help, but I couldn't be able to leave the game.

"I'll go see what's wrong with him?" Sandy and Primrose whispered and the two headed over to Pipkin.

As they're trying to get it handled, Hazel got my attention. " _Bobstone_ guess is two."

I nodded my head, as I lifted my hands up... to reveal there were four pebbles hiding. Shocking the rabbits, even Hazel was surprised. He started to hidden the pebbles, as I looked away.

"That's incredible!" Blackberry complimented.

"You're skills on this game is getting better." Dandelion added.

"Now, you need to guess this one right, mate and you win." Hawkbit added.

" _Bobstone_ guess." Hazel was ready.

I turned back to see Hazel has hidden the pebbles underneath his paws. I was taking a deep breath and exhaling, as I was not wanting to have pressure when guessing to have a victory or a tie.

" _Bobstone_ guess is... three." I guessed with confidence.

Hazel gracefully smiled, as he reveled the three pebbles. "My congratulations to you."

Everyone cheered, as I won my first win in _Bobstones_ and I couldn't help, but thank Hazel for teaching me the game alongside with Fiver and the others. I offered my hand for a hand/paw shake for a great game. He lend his paw and we both shake on it to compliment each other. I than looked back at the warren's entrance where Pipkin headed and I saw Sandy was standing there. I excused myself from the cheering to see Sandy.

"What happened?" I asked her about Pipkin.

"He didn't say much, he just went back into the warren." she answered. "Has something happened to him?"

I got the feeling it had to be regarding to Fiver and Pipkin sneaking off to visit the orchard. "I'll go see about it and talk to him."

* * *

I entered in the warren and continued my way through the halls, until I found Pipkin's burrow. There I see Pipkin sulking.

"Pipkin?"

"I know what you going to say. Please don't be mad." Pipkin moped in tears.

"I'm not mad and I saw you were shivering, are you alright?" I asked out in concern.

"I did something horrible that I'm a ' _quivery whiskers_ '."

I knew it had to from their visit at the orchard. "It's alright, tell me what happened."

"When we arrived, I started eating some of the apples. Fiver told me that we have to leave, but I wanted to stay longer. He than spotted a badger that we had a run for it. Fiver than tripped and went unconscious, before the badger took him. I left him there, after he was dragged away to the badger's home."

I wondered if it was the same badger that I saw with Hazel and Bigwig. At this point we needed to head out to find Fiver.

"Please don't be mad at me." he teared.

I sighed with remorse. "Pipkin, I think... We all made mistakes and you admitted it, right?"

He nodded his head.

"You know, even when I was your age I get into some trouble too."

"Really?" Pipkin questioned as he rised.

"One of the examples was that I was home late one night from a field trip and a day before last day of school." I recalled.

"How much trouble did you get into?" he asked.

"I did got trouble from not calling and of course showing up late." I answered. "I didn't take it great, but in the end I learned my lesson."

"I'm sure I'll probably get everyone mad. Like Tyler shocked everyone about his human origin." Pipkin added.

"That's not the same. Also, you know that they won't hate, like they didn't for Tyler." I said.

"What about Hawkbit?"

"Well... we all know Hawkbit, but in the end he didn't mean it, because he said it out of anger." I added. "I'm sure since you're young and also your situation could have been worse, if the badger took you also." I added.

"The important matter it is for now, is that we need to find Fiver and we'll bring him home." I stated.

We heard someone coming around the corner and came in Primrose. "Pipkin, are you alright? I didn't see you _silflaying_."

"I'm not hungry." Pipkin answered.

"Primrose, can I speak to you privately?" I asked.

"Of course." she answered, before turning to Pipkin. "If there's anything I can do, just ask?"

She excused herself, before I followed. I even reminded what I told him. He just nodded his head, but I tried to keep at best. After leaving his burrow, I met with Primrose at a disclosed burrow.

"Is everything alright with Pipkin?" she asked.

I shook my head. "He's feeling guilty from something he has done."

"What happened?" she asked.

I looked around to make sure no one was around. "He's feeling guilty that he left Fiver behind at the orchard."

Primrose gasped quietly.

"Because Pipkin feared for his life from the badger, when it took Fiver." I explained.

"Hazel's looking for Fiver and he was no where." she added.

"We'll have to expand our search and let Hazel know that Fiver's last seen at the orchard." I stated.

After our conversation, we informed Hazel about Fiver's missing (of course without revealing the truth, since Pipkin should be the one telling him, when he's ready if Fiver is still missing or when he's found). Hazel initiated the _Owsla_ to search throughout the warren and places that Fiver could have been, the nearby fields or even the brook. Even Kehaar and Hannah searched by air and had no luck by sunset by the time they got back from their search.

"We looked all over for Fiver. No sign." Hannah said.

"And he's not anywhere around here, neither." Hawkbit came out of the warren, as he searched throughout the warren, even going underground.

"Bigwig!" we heard Dandelion was coming towards us quickly that he made a sudden brake that stopped near towards Bigwig and Kehaar. "No sign of him at the down, Hazel. I've asked the neighbors to keep an eye out."

"Then we better search. Dandelion, you and Primrose check the farm. Bigwig and Hawkbit, take the river trail. And of course to all everyone, watch out for _Efrafa_ patrols." Hazel instructed as well warning all of us about _Efrafan_ patrols, before turning towards Kehaar and Hannah. "You two fly wide cover. Keep an eye out on everyone. I'll search the woods."

"I'll join the search with you, Hazel." I volunteered to join him.

He nodded his head for approval. "If anyone sees anything, signal Kehaar and Hannah and they'll bring us all on the run. Right, let's move."

Everyone started to head out for their search areas where Hazel assigned to them. I started to follow him to the edge of the down, unexpectedly Pipkin started to follow us.

"Hazel, how about looking in the orchard." he suggested.

"I told him not to go there. Fiver doesn't disobey orders." Hazel thought.

"I want to come with you." Pipkin insisted, as I began to think he'll speak the truth to Hazel.

"I thought you weren't feeling well, Pipkin." Primrose thought.

"He didn't appear sick, but he was just looked down and he wanted to talk to someone." I said.

"Please!" Pipkin begged.

I looked at Hazel and nodded my head for Pipkin to join us.

"Alright, but I'll be moving fast." Hazel decided for Pipkin to join the both of us.

* * *

When we got to the orchard, the three of us started the search, by him splitting away from me and Pipkin, as we searched another part of the orchard to find Fiver.

 _Fiver_! We heard Hazel shouting not far from where we are.

"Fiver, where are you!" I shouted.

"Fiver!" Pipkin shouted.

"Not a sign, I don't know what to think, if Hazel has no luck of finding Fiver or assuming the worst." I began to feel worry about Hazel, if something happens to his little brother.

"I'm sorry that we're out here." Pipkin apologized.

"I know you are, but maybe if you tell Hazel about, it won't be bad and I know he would take a soft approach." I suggested to Pipkin of telling the truth to Hazel.

Pipkin felt unsure.

"Is that the reason why you're here?"

Pipkin nodded his head. "Yes, but I don't want to do this alone."

"Only from you said truthfully matters, but I'll be with you, until you're comfortable." I encouraged him, as I decided to be on the sidelines observing from what he'll say.

A screech of an owl was from nearby. We saw the owl with a rabbit on it's claw.

"Hazel!" Pipkin shouted, as he recognized the rabbit.

"Come on!" we both follow the owl and saw Hazel dangling in the air, as he tries to free himself. He succeeded on freeing himself after a few kicks and he started to descend a free fall. Pipkin and I hurried quickly to head towards where Hazel would be landing and be on our guard without the owl making an attempt to come back. We came through a bush to see Hazel on the ground unconscious from the fall.

"Hazel, please be alright!" Pipkin pleaded.

I came to his side and checked his pulse. I let out a relief that he's still breathing. "He's okay, he had a long fall."

Hazel started to open his eyes slowly and warmly smiled. "No harm done."

"Thank goodness, you did have a long fall, but the bush did help a soft landing." I said.

He stood up and felt a sore from his left foot. "Well...not too much."

"Hazel I'm sorry." Pipkin apologized.

"It's not your fault Pipkin." Hazel said.

"No, you don't understand! I didn't know how to tell you Hazel! I tried, I did, it was horrible." Pipkin exclaimed almost into tears, as he started to open up.

"Here now. What is it, tell me?" Hazel comforted little Pipkin.

"That owl nearly got you, because I'm such a _quivery whiskers_. I should've told you right away, it's Fiver." Pipkin said.

"What about him?"

"We went to the orchard. The badger got him and I ran away and left him." Pipkin confessed. "I wish it gotten me. It hurts so much Hazel!" he started to tear up.

"I know Pipkin." Hazel calmly comforted and hugged him, as if Pipkin was talking to his kittens. "I know..."

It came to good terms that Pipkin made the right choice. "It took a lot of courage for him to confess."

"I should have listen to Fiver and you." he said.

"I understand, we all have done things we're not proud of or go somewhere we're not supposed to go." I assured him that every young child or kitten goes out and do their own thing. However, it was important to learn our mistakes when we got in trouble.

Later after Pipkin admitting his fault to Hazel, we left to regroup with the rest of the _Owsla_ on a hill near the orchard. Moments came, as Kehaar and Hannah joined us, as they told us that Bigwig and Hawkbit are coming here. Within seconds, the two were climbing up the hill and regrouped with us, while Bigwig gave Pipkin a strict discipline stare.

"What's this Hannah tells me about Pipkin leaving Fiver behind?" Bigwig questioned Pipkin.

Pipkin didn't know what to say, as Bigwig was going to give Pipkin a disciplinary action.

"Take it easy, Bigwig. He knew what he did was wrong and there's no point of him punishing him." I spoke up.

"He'll feel a lot worse when I get done with him." Bigwig exclaimed.

"Gave some sympathy already! He made an error on his part and he learned his mistake." I exclaimed.

"That's enough." Hazel said.

"That doesn't mean he should get a fly by from what he did!" Bigwig exclaimed.

"I said that's enough!" Hazel shouted. "He made a mistake. We make them too."

"If he'd stayed with Fiver, the badger would have caught him as well." Primrose defended Pipkin.

"He should have told us!" Bigwig blurt out.

"Oh, he was afraid Bigwig, just like when I was when we got lost in the caverns. I didn't cover myself in glory down there lad. I was a blubbering mess." Hawkibt also defended Pipkin, as he recalled the cavern experience.

"In retrospect, it was more dilemma than a mess. By now, you're liking the place and it's more your solitude place now." I added that since Hawkbit fear's past, he would spend sometime down at the caverns once in a while. "Even I make mistakes as a kid. Whatever happens from that mistake, you just learned from it, move on by not making the same mistake twice."

"You don't hate me than?" Pipkin asked.

"Don't talk rot, we don't hate you." Bigwig said and gave Pipkin an assuring eye-wink.

"That's over with, what now?" I asked Bigwig.

"Well, if Fiver's still alive, he's down there." Bigwig answered. We all started to head our way down to the orchard to find any sign of Fiver.

* * *

When we arrived at the orchard, Pipkin showed us the last place where he and Fiver were, before he was taken by the badger. We found the badger's home, where Fiver is taken. Bigwig hopped towards a tree to make sure the badger wasn't waiting for us. After a few seconds, it was clear that we headed over to meet Bigwig and try to go over a plan to get Fiver out of there.

"So what's the plan, Hazel?" Bigwig asked.

"Badger's are night watchers, when she comes I'll ask her what happened to Fiver." Hazel suggested.

Bigwig just thought it was nonsense as he shook his head. "You can't talk to a badger, they're savage brutes."

"I believe Bigwig you said something along these lines, when Kehaar dropped in on us." Dandelion recalled

Bigwig than gave him a half-closed eyes look.

"What if I try?" I asked.

Everyone than stared at me, as Bigwig's eyes came back fully opened and a bit widened. "What?"

"Think about, since the three of us were there earlier, I was the last person to leave and the badger didn't take a hostile approach."

"Very well... good luck." Bigwig decided.

I decided to investigate the burrow, when got close I looked back to see everyone else. They were waiting for the anticipation. I gulped in my stomach, as I entered in, despite of not falling in like Alice. Seconds after I got in, a scream came close by.

"FIVER!" I recognized the voice. I quickly walked to see if something was happening to him, if it was a vision. I than found him with a badger, and the badger was trying to help with him, as if Fiver was hurt.

"I'll be alright, in a bit." Fiver assured the badger.

"Fiver! You're alright!" I shouted, not glad to see him alive, but I alarmed the badger, it became on guard. I try not to be any resist, because they could be rough to fight, if that what Bigwig and the rest of the rabbits say about them.

"Wait Bark! He's a friend of mine." Fiver stopped the badger.

"A friend?" the badger spoke and it was a female.

"Yes. Andrew this is Bark, she helped me recover from injury." Fiver greeted.

"Uhh... hello Bark and thank you for helping him." I greeted myself to Bark, as I was unsure.

"You friend of rabbits and human?" she asked.

"Yes, it's a long story, but I've been around a bit." I answered.

"Why did you run?" she recalled about the incident when I ran with Hazel and Bigwig.

I didn't know what to say, after she asked that. "I'm sorry if I did, but I didn't think you were a certain type of badger that would go after someone and I didn't know."

She than looked at Fiver, as he nodded his head firmly.

"Andrew understands?" she asked him.

"Yes, he understands." Fiver assured her.

Bark started to sing quietly to herself. At first, I wasn't sure what she was singing, until she actually let her voice.

 _Trust the one_

 _Who's been where you are wishing all it was_

 _Was sticks and stones_

 _Those words cut deep but they don't mean you're all alone_

 _And you're not invisible_

"I recognized this song." Fiver said.

"You heard of it?" I asked.

"Yes, I once heard it when Hazel and Primrose was still at Redstone. You were still asleep that night after the weasel came and Tyler showed me that song."

"What was it called, because I never heard of it." I asked.

"It was called... something _Invisible_ , by a human called Hunter... Hayes.

After hearing that name I recognized the artist right away. "I know the artist from other songs! And wait, Bark how did you come across with it?"

"Friend named Tyler showed me." Bark answered.

"He was here?!" I questioned.

"Yes. Tyler sad, as I was sad. I invite him to stay, but Tyler refuses." she answered sadly.

I sighed, as I thought if he was nearby before, I could have talked to him sooner, before the market.

"Tyler friend?" she asked.

"He is. He ran away after he confessed he was human, like Andrew." Fiver answered.

Bark nodded. "Bark get you more apples."

"Really, I've quite enough of apples." Fiver politely refuses, like it was my first time hearing him say he had enough of apples.

However, Bark decided to go out to collect more apples for him anyway. "You stay with your friend."

Fiver sighed.

"You just got told." I chuckled in a whisper.

Fiver shook his head.

"Come on, she sounds like she's friendly and trying to help you."

"She has, but I wanted to leave, but she continued to insist for me to stay." Fiver spoke. "Because she's alone."

I immediately knew how she felt about being alone, without or hardly any friends. "I guess you're wrong on that. She look like she's trying to befriend anyone, but turned down, because who she is. Sad really."

"You ever felt like that?" Fiver asked.

"Always, especially after moving to another school and town, I didn't hardly know anyone, like friends I knew back in elementary days. Even when I started in college, I was still so I decided to be my friend. Basically talking to myself." I answered about what it was like to be alone. "As well at work, despite of having some friends, I still feel like I'm not fitted in because I'm... different."

"We all are. I am, Bark is, and even you." Fiver comforted me.

I smiled. "I guess it's really nice to have friends that you're close with." After speaking, I looked back to see him licking his foot. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to take care of my foot." Fiver answered as he licked his foot.

"Let me try something, may I?" I offered my help.

"Of course." Fiver smiled.

I gently held his hurt foot and I gently started to massage it. "Does it hurt?"

He let out some stings. "A little."

"Does it help to lick your own foot?" I asked.

"Of course, all rabbits do. Do you?" Fiver asked.

"No. Not all." I shook my head, as I try to be humanly polite.

Fiver giggled. "I guess humans done other ways to take care of themselves."

"Yeah, you can say that again." I joined in the giggle.

We heard a gasp, as we looked towards the entrance that no one was there.

"Did someone came with you?" Fiver asked.

"Apparently, yes. We're here to get home, but I'm sure they're going to try to do something with Bark." I answered and began to worry about Bark.

"We need to warn her." Fiver suggested.

I nodded my head. "Right."

We started to head our way out, and met up with Pipkin and Primrose.

"You two alright!" Pipkin exclaimed.

"Yes, we're fine and where's everyone else?" I asked. Battle cries sounded off from the _Owsla_ , and unprecedentedly they attacked Bark.

"No, please stop!" Bark pleaded.

"Come on, we got to stop this!" Fiver exclaimed, as he hurried over.

"He was hurt from the badger." Primrose thought.

"No, that wasn't it, the badger tried to help him." I said, before I joined Fiver.

The _Owsla_ started to encircle Bark, as if they were ready to make their final finish. Fiver came just in time, as I followed to stop the brutality.

"She didn't hurt me! Stop it! She's a friend, my friend." Fiver begged everyone to stop attacking her.

Hazel and Bigwig looked at each and they ordered to stand down. Bark started to recover, as she got back on her four feet.

"Bark sorry." she apologized.

"Why are you apologizing? What you got to be sorry for?" I questioned.

"Bark sorry, she's a badger." she apologized because whom she is.

"Bark..." I started to come to her. "You shouldn't have to apologize, who you are. You're probably are a badger for reason. We all have a purpose on who we are. Don't take pity on yourself or someone tries to pity you."

"You understand?" she asked.

"It's alright Bark. They won't hurt you now, we understand. We all understand." Fiver assured her.

She let out a smile, as her self-confidence grew brighter. "Friends understand."

"Always." Fiver and I said. As everyone else agrees from what we had said.

* * *

Later, she offered us apples, as we embarked a new friendship between rabbits of Watership Down and a gentle heart badger.

"Come again friends!" Bark said a friendly farewell and encourage us to come back again, as we're bringing up our apples up the hill and looked over at the orchard.

"Friends with a Badger! _Bless my tail_." Bigwig couldn't believe a new friendship being made. "Will wonders never cease?"

"Not as long as we live in Watership Down... will until Tyler comes home." Hawkibt said, until he felt a bit down from Tyler not being at home.

"He'll come back. I'm sure maybe perhaps Bark might search for him, if she was out and about." I cheered Hawkibt, until his smile came back.

Everyone grabbed an apple and I started to search for the song that Bark was shown to from Tyler. As the music started to play on my phone with my headphones on my ears, I looked back to see Fiver is leaving his apple behind.

"Fiver, you forgot your apple? Not needing it, I bet." I asked.

Fiver looked back at the apple still by the edge of the hill. "The fact is... I've had enough of apples for the moment."

"Well... there's always when that came from." I stated.

We both joined back with the rest of the _Owsla_ as we are heading back to our warren and the sun started rise for a new day, as the music started it's first lyric.

 _Crowded hallways are the loneliest places_  
 _For outcasts and rebels_  
 _Or anyone who just dares to be different_  
 _And you've been trying for so long_  
 _To find out where your place is_  
 _But in their narrow minds_  
 _There's no room for anyone who dares to do something different_  
 _Oh, but listen for a minute_

 _Trust the one_  
 _Who's been where you are wishing all it was_  
 _Was sticks and stones_  
 _Those words cut deep but they don't mean you're all alone_  
 _And you're not invisible_  
 _Hear me out,_  
 _There's so much more to life than what you're feeling now_  
 _Someday you'll look back on all these days_  
 _And all this pain is gonna be invisible_  
 _Oh, invisible_

 _So your confidence is quiet_  
 _To them quiet looks like weakness_  
 _But you don't have to fight it_  
 _'Cause you're strong enough to win without a war_  
 _Every heart has a rhythm_  
 _Let yours beat out so loudly_  
 _That everyone can hear it_  
 _Yeah, I promise you don't need to hide it anymore_  
 _Oh, and never be afraid of doing something different_  
 _Dare to be something more_

 _Trust the one_  
 _Who's been where you are wishing all it was_  
 _Was sticks and stones_  
 _Yeah, the words cut deep but they don't mean you're all alone_  
 _And you're not invisible_  
 _Hear me out,_  
 _There's so much more of this life than what you're feeling now_  
 _And someday you'll look back on all these days_  
 _And all this pain is gonna be invisible_

 _These labels that they give you_  
 _just 'cause they don't understand_  
 _If you look past this moment_  
 _You'll see you've got a friend_  
 _Waving a flag for who you are_  
 _And all you're gonna do_  
 _Yeah, so here's to you_  
 _And here's to anyone who's ever felt invisible_

 _Yeah, and you're not invisible_  
 _Hear me out,_  
 _There's so much more to life than what you're feeling now_  
 _And someday you'll look back on all these days_  
 _And all this pain is gonna be invisible_  
 _It'll be invisible_


	54. Episode 20: The Great Game Prologue

The Great Game Prologue

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas in this Prologue and this episode

 _One weeks ago..._

After my visit with Bark, I couldn't be able to find a place I could rest, despite wanting to stay at Bark's, but I was near Watership Down. I arrived at the bridge between _Efrafa_ and the way back to Watership Down. Two rabbits who were guarding the bridge spotted me and came towards me. I didn't have much of a choice, but to comply rather than resisting.

"State your business." an _Efrafa Owsla_ rabbit spoke.

"I'm looking for a place to stay for a bit." I said.

"Wait a minute! You're that Tyler Damien, why should you return back?!" another _Efrafa_ _Owsla_ rabbit questioned.

"Because I'm worthy to face you two in battle, if you don't believe General Woundwart saying that I'm a worthy opponent." I recalled from what Woundwart complimented me on my last training.

The rabbits looked at each other smirked. "Very well. You won't last long, come along."

The guards escorted me to _Efrafa_ , where I was taken to the main hall where I once was very few days ago. I spotted Vervain, as he exchange his words of cold-hardheartedness as always. I intend to ignore him, as my heart is already grieving from what Hawkbit had spoken. Woundwart came out and recognized me right away.

"So, you returned." he first spoke.

"Yes, I didn't have any where else to go." I said.

"What about Hazel and his warren?" he asked grimly with a smirk.

"I'm no longer part of them. I felt like I wasn't wanted anymore." I sadly stated.

"Maybe perhaps you're too good of a _Owsla_ you are and from your past human life."

"If it pleases the general and win back your respect, I would combat with two of the _Owsla_ guards, whom they were guarding the bridge." I offered to win back his respect in combat.

Woundwart knew about my fighting skills and he would wanted to see them if they have changed since I left. "Proceed."

The rabbits got in their offensive positions, as I put on my headphones, as I cued up my combat playlist on my Zune HD and the song played _Rock You Like A Hurricane_ by The Scorpions. The rabbits encircled around me, as my tunes started it's first lyrics.

 _It's early morning, the sun comes out_  
 _Last night was shaking and pretty loud_  
 _My cat is purring, it scratches my skin_  
 _So what is wrong with another sin?_

 _The bitch is hungry, she needs to tell_  
 _So give her inches and feed her well_  
 _More days to come, new places to go_  
 _I've got to leave, it's time for a show_

 _Here I am_  
 _Rock you like a hurricane_  
 _Here I am_

 _Rock you like a hurricane_

The first rabbit made it's leap, but I managed to tackle him down quickly, as I used all my anger out of Hawkbit onto the rabbits, whom I was combating.

 _My body is burning, it starts to shout_  
 _Desire is coming, it breaks out loud_  
 _Lust is in cages till storm breaks loose_  
 _Just have to make it with someone I choose_

 _The night is calling, I have to go_  
 _The wolf is hungry, he runs the show_  
 _He's licking his lips, he's ready to win_  
 _On the hunt tonight for love at first sting_

 _Here I am_  
 _Rock you like a hurricane (Are you ready, baby?)_  
 _Here I am_  
 _Rock you like a hurricane_  
 _Here I am_  
 _Rock you like a hurricane (Come on, come on, baby)_  
 _Here I am_  
 _Rock you like a hurricane_

 _Rock you like a hurricane_

A second rabbit did took advantage, as he pounced on me and held me. I than heard the rabbit boast to General Woundwart that he has won the match.

 _It's early morning, the sun comes out_  
 _Last night was shaking and pretty loud_  
 _My cat is purring, it scratches my skin_  
 _So what is wrong with another sin?_

 _The night is calling, I have to go_  
 _The wolf is hungry, he runs the show_  
 _He's licking his lips, he's ready to win_  
 _On the hunt tonight for love at first sting_

My anger boiled, as sweep kicked him off of me and off his feet to held him down to the ground.

 _Here I am_  
 _Rock you like a hurricane (Are you ready, baby?)_  
 _Here I am_  
 _Rock you like a hurricane_  
 _Here I am_  
 _Rock you like a hurricane (Come on, come on, come on, come on)_  
 _Here I am_  
 _Rock you like a hurricane_

The two rabbits were underestimated that they backed away from me, after my training victory battle.

"Very impressive. You used your anger! I was still correct from what I said about you as a worthy opponent." General Woundwart commended.

I than saw Campion coming back from his post I guessed, as he's about to retire. He was surprised to see me at one piece and of course back in _Efrafa_.

"Campion." Woundwart wanted his attention.

"Yes General."

"Make sure Tyler Damien is shown to his quarters and to see he's properly well feed." Woundwart spoke.

"But sir, he's lying. He's only doing this to spy on you, supposing I see Campion doing it as well." Vervain rejects the idea and had suspension thoughts about Campion, as usual when he goes on his own patrols.

"Do not question me and I assure you Campion is also my loyalist _Owsla_ Captain." Woundwart denies the allegation.

Vervain went off to his post, as he goes he looks back at Tyler and Campion. "To ensure you Tyler, if you set one foot or tail off this warren, you're mine. As well if Campion tries to save you to aid the enemy."

As I watched him leave, Campion kindly took me to a new quarter where I was to sleep and I didn't bother to speak with him at this time, because of long days I been having of traveling that made me exhausted.

"If you need anything, lad. Just ask and I'll make sure you're taken care of." Campion spoke warmly, before he left to his quarters to retire.


	55. Episode 20: The Great Game Part 1

The Great Game Part 1

I woke up to see I was back at home in my own room, as my alarm going off my phone early. The time showed it was six o'clock in the morning and I looked from my window that the sun was dawning. I got out of my bed to grab my clothes for work. I than opened the door to see a dark tunnel path that was nearly resembling to _Efrafa's_. I started to leave my bedroom and started to walk through the tunnel, as my bedroom door was still opened and I could always come back into my room.

 _Andrew_.

I heard a voice calling out to me. However, it was nearly pitch black, like it was still the evening, but with no moon or stars to brighten the night. I continued to follow the voice, as it continued to call my name. I wouldn't thought it could be _The Black Rabbit_ , as the rabbits say if he calls you, you go.

 _Andrew_. The voice continued to call out for me and the voice I thought it was someone recognizable.

"Hello. Tyler?"

 _Andrew, please help me._ The voice started to plead for help and the voice was deeper.

"I'm coming!" I hurried, until I saw a brown rabbit and I knew who it was. "Campion!"

"Help me, Andrew." he pleaded.

I knelt down on my knees and felt Campion's strength is weak. "You're nearly thin to the bones. Whose done this to you?!"

We than heard laughter and a voice that I started to recognize from past dreams I have.

 _Look out. Look out._

"For your own sake, you need to leave now." Campion tried to be noble, he once was.

"I'm going to leave you." I refused to leave.

"Unforunately, Campion will be arrested until he starves to death." a second voice came and a black rabbit was none other than Vervain.

"Run! Run like _El-ahrairah_." Campion instructed me.

"He'll be soon joining you with 'the beast'." Vervain evilly smirked, before dragging him into the dark abyss.

"CAMPION!" I shouted, as I tried to reach for his paw, but it was too late for me to save.

 _What'll I do_  
 _What'll I do_  
 _What an unusual view_

 _I can stand the sight of worms_  
 _And look at microscopic germs_  
 _But technicolor pachyderms is really too much for me_

 _I am not the type to faint_  
 _When things are odd or things are quaint_  
 _But seeing things you know that ain't_

I heard the voices and I knew what it was right away. Out of fear, I hurried over to my bedroom, but my room was slammed shut that I couldn't be able to open it.

 _Can certainly give you an awful fright_

Shivering in fright, I turned around to see a monster with elephant heads from head to toe in different colors and their eyes in black. The path was all in black with two blue linings. The monster evilly smiled, as Vervain does, but it was more sinister and devilish. I tried to run to another spot, but I was blocked.

"Please, leave me alone!" I begged.

 _What a sight!_  
 _Chase 'em away! Chase 'em away_  
 _I'm afraid, need your aid_  
 _Pink elephants on parade_

I tried to cover my ears so I didn't have to hear the last nightmare of the song, but it wouldn't help, as it was still louder, as it was getting closer. The blue elephant heads blocked the yellow elephant head. I tried to look away, as I wanting to wake up and the dream to end. I started to feel a trunk and it was slowly rubbing my arm. I opened my eyes and looked to see my bedroom door is gone.

"No. No."

Slowly my head started to turn to see the yellow elephant's head devilishly smiling, as the eyes were blacker than before. As the lyrics of the song finished with a dark vocal tone. It started to lean and press towards me, as I started to scream.

* * *

The screaming woke up, as I started feel someone was touching me. I woke up from the dream to see someone was there and it was Fiver.

"Fiver, did I frightened you?" I asked shakily.

"No..." he answered as he dusted himself off. "I was going to ask, if you're alright. You were dreaming."

I nodded my head, as I continued to shake. "Yeah... I'm scared a bit."

"Stay right there, I'll go get Hazel." Fiver insisted.

Still shaking from a constant dream that I experience since I dreamed about it. I always try to think something else for a better dream, but it would come out the same result. Even trying to have a wonderful or a good dream: such as Hazel, Fiver, and myself wondered around the hills of Watership Down or showing them the sandy beaches of California; like Bodega Bay.

Fiver returned back with Hazel, as they still see me coming back from a nightmare.

"A nightmare." Hazel knew what it was.

I nodded. "I was at home, getting ready for work, until it took me to _Efrafa_ where I found Campion weak and starved. I than saw Vervain, who arrested Campion."

"We remember what he did." Hazel recalled that Campion was arrested.

"Vervain dragged away Campion away in the dark. My bedroom was shut and disappeared and I started to hear the song called _Pink Elephants on Parade_."

"'Pink elephants on parade'?" Hazel wanted to know more.

"It's a song from a Disney movie from _Dumbo_. In a sequence, Dumbo and Timothy the Mouse mistakenly drank a champagne, as they thought it was water. They became drunk that Dumbo started to blow bubbles and apparently they began to hallucinate of pink elephants. It even haunted me ever since, if I ever thought of it."

Hazel placed his paw on my shoulder, as he and Fiver listened more.

"In my dream, and every time I dream of hearing the song... there's a 'monster'. With elephant heads in bright colors, with evil smiles. Even the main head haunts me the most, as it always gets close to me. I know that it's not real, even though I still fear the worst of Campion in _Efrafa_."

"Tomorrow morning, I'll go see if Campion is at our meeting spot. If he's there, than we're good and we won't have to worry." Hazel assured me.

"If not?" I doubted.

"We'll find a way to help him anyway we could." Fiver added.

I sighed for the solution that we'll be able to figure out more about Campion's incarceration. "Still I fear the dream will come back of course. Can you guys stay with me please?"

"Of course we'll." Hazel warmly smiled.

"Maybe perhaps you could dream about the three of us traveling together." Fiver suggested.

I started to smile. "That'll be wonderful. Only if I could."

"Just believe you can. Have faith in it and think about it." Hazel advised.

I decided to take his advise, as I gave them some of my blankets. Fiver rested on Hazel's side, as I did on the other. "Thank you guys for being there. I couldn't have the grander friends I could ever have."

"That's why you mentioned what family and friends do. Look after each other." Fiver recalled.

I started to close my eyes, as I held onto Hazel's left paw, while my head was resting on him like a soft pillow that I could envy. Seconds later, I found myself at a beach which it is Bodega Bay. I looked around to see I was alone. I started to imagine Hazel and Fiver are there with me. It didn't take long, until five seconds in. The three of us greeted, before I showed them where I used to play on the sands and on the water. We than later started to race each other on the dunes, and did a game of _Tail Tag_ , before the evening came that we had to go to sleep. The stars and the moon were bright, as we started to watch shooting stars soar. The ocean waves crashing ashore sounded the three of us fast asleep, before we have to wake back up at Watership Down.

* * *

After the wonderfully dream that I just experienced, I woke up to find myself back at Watership Down in my burrow with Hazel and Fiver. They were still asleep, as the morning came, as I hear some early rising rabbits were chattering and moving about. I picked up my phone and put on camera mode to see my face, as I was looking at the mirror. I came to notice that I was in full beard and have long hair. There would be no point of having a rabbit trying to cut my hair, since luckily I have some hair scissors that I bought from the market, before I came here. After grabbing my backpack and my water mug, I decided to have swim in the brook and go for shave. Since I haven't cut my own hair before, there's no point of holding it back.

When I got outside, hardly no one was outside. I took my stroll towards the brook down hill near the caverns entrance. Firstly, I went for a swim to clear my thoughts from my first dream, without removing about Campion, because Hazel promised he'll find out more about him. I filled my water mug and poured it on my hair and started to cut my hair to make it short to the least. After taking about ten minutes of a trying to make a good cut and washing my head removing some hair pieces that were cut, put on some shaving cream; after getting my face wet from splashing water on me. Fifteen minutes after a clean shave, I just hopped in the brook to have a morning swim and decided to rest my head on the grassy dirt near the water. I looked up to see some clouds rolling by and saw a commercial jet flying by. Suddenly I started to think about home and still figuring how I was going to get home.

 _Kaaaaaaaa_! I saw Kehaar with Hannah on his back. "Kehaar says good morning to all!" Kehaar shouted, as he tries to greet everyone a "good morning" as Hannah waves down at me and I waved back. I than relaxed once again bathing on the brook.

After five minutes of relaxing, I saw a rabbit coming out of the caverns and it was Hawkbit. He spotted me, as he gasped like he didn't recognize me at first. "Oh, Andrew. Good morning."

"Good morning, spending time in the caverns?" I asked.

"I have and quite dandy as usual." he answered.

I shook my head.

"What's with your tail?" he asked.

"Nothing really... just recovered from a night terror." I answered.

"A bad dream running?"

"You ever get them?" I asked.

"Very rarely, except since after Tyler ran away. I couldn't fall asleep, so I decided to hop in the caverns." he answered.

"What happened there, slept better after?"

"Surprisingly, I did, thank you for asking. Now since I came to the caverns, I realized thinking about bad dreams is a waste of a beauty sleep." Hawkibt answered. "Is it about Tyler, on what you dreamed."

"Not even close, it was about Campion."

"So, what do you think about him since he serves for our enemy?" he questioned.

"Since I was captured, he treated like how an enemy should treat prisoners, at least humanely than the rest. After I heard that he was arrested, I feared the worst something could have happened to him." I answered.

"Well... let's hope none of us would have to be on his path, siding one side, while remaining loyal to an enemy." Hawkbit hoped.

"If it wasn't horrifying enough in my dream, I started to hear a song about 'pink elephants'." I added.

"What's a 'pink elephant'?" Hawkbit asked.

"Well an elephant are mammals that lived in Africa and Asia. Well, going to 'pink elephants', a song came from a Disney classic called _Dumbo_. Surprisingly, I read that a few people, who drank alcohol too much did saw pink elephants. Besides, I rather not talk about the scene of it much. It'll repeat the dream and I still the song in the back of my head."

"You drank this 'alcohol'?" he questioned.

"No, absolutely not!" I exclaimed.

"No, no, I was just asking." he assured.

"I know you were, and I never will." I stated. "And I couldn't imagine if a rabbit did drank alcohol mistakenly, like _Dumbo_ the elephant did."

"Than we'll be seeing 'pink rabbits'!" Hawkbit lightened a joke that he started laugh that I lightly joined.

 _Kaaaaaa_!

"Sounds like Kehaar and Hannah are coming back." I said.

"I heard that they were going to fly to _Efrafa_ to see about Campion." Hawkbit told me.

"Than I need to get out and I wanted to hear more about, since I dreamed about him." I decided to get out of the water and grabbed a towel to dry myself off.

"What did you do with your fur?" Hawkbit asked.

"My what?" I questioned.

"With your fur around your face and your head. You could have the same mane as Bigwig." he complimented.

"Not me, I rather not." I chuckled.

* * *

After drying myself off and getting dressed, Hawkbit and I went up the hill towards the peach tree to see Kehaar and Hannah just landed at ease.

"Any sign of Campion in _Efrafa_?" Hazel asked Hannah.

"He's arrested! Vervain interrogated about the night before and the day of the raid in Redstone. He even demanded where our is."

The rabbits gasped, as I got a look at Primrose heartbroken from hearing about Campion's state.

"Campion didn't give them the answer Vervain wanted, as he continued to starve him. So if we don't do something, Campion won't last till next round moon." Hannah finished her report about Campion's arrest.

"Vervain already tried and convicted him without a shred of proof." Fiver added.

"Rotten ugly Vervain wants Campion dead for sure!" Kehaar exclaimed.

"Without doubt, if that includes starving him." I added.

"And that's how Woundwart repays Campion, who saved his life at the _Warren of Shining Wires_." Dandelion recalled.

"So that's why he's arrested?!" I questioned.

"Campion saved General Woundwart from being snared at Cowslip's. Vervain drew suspension that Campion working with the enemy, possibly us." Hazel told me what happened, since I passed out from my illness, I wasn't sure how Campion was arrested and I thought it was no reason.

"There must be something we can do." Primrose stated.

"Campion knew this might happen when he agreed to spy for us." Bigwig stated.

"So we just leave him there?!" Fiver stood up, having shocking gasps from Bigwig and Hazel. "Thanks very much Campion! Sorry about you getting killed!"

"I don't like it any better than you Fiver, but we have to face facts." Bigwig explained.

" _Facing what they call reality_ _!_ " I impersonated Doyle's voice and quote from _Sling Blade_ when he disciplined harshly on Frank. "It doesn't matter about the fact, Campion served as _Efrafa_ , he's a fellow rabbit like everyone of you. Even Fiver would agree on that!" Fiver nodded his head.

"So, what was it you said Fiver. Vervain has already tried and convicted him." Hazel admits.

"Still we could always plan something, before the real carries out, even stalling an execution." I added.

"And you're right, that doesn't mean we won't be able to help him." Hazel assured me and Fiver.

"Have you got an idea, Hazel?" Bigwig asked.

"Maybe..." Hazel started to think, until he started to remember a _El-ahrairah_ folktale. "I was just thinking about the story of _The Trial of El-ahrairah_."

" _The Trial of El-ahrairah_?" I questioned.

Everyone looked at me, as if I haven't heard all of the _El-ahrairah_ stories enough. In real sense though, it helped me learn about the rabbits' way of life.

"You meaning to say that he was arrested?" I asked.

"That's when _Hufsa_ accused _El-ahrairah_ of stealing carrots and then he went on trial before _Prince Rainbow_." Pipkin answered, as he remembered the story.

I didn't bother to ask about _Hufsa_ , except he was probably the prosecutor of _El-ahrairah_.

"And _El-ahrairah_ used his wits to make _Hufsa_ look like a fool." Dandelion added.

"By the time _El-ahrairah_ was done, _Prince Rainbow_ wouldn't have believed _Hufsa_ say he'd seen the sky was blue." Fiver concluded.

"So... what's your guys point?" I asked.

"Our point and plan is, why not do the same to Vervain." Hazel summarized the plan, as if we're reconstructing the _El-ahrairah_ story about his trial.

"Make his charges against Campion look like the ravings of a moon, mad dog. I like it." Bigwig understood and agrees with the plan.

"Pipkin we'll need help from some of the animals on the down." Hazel instructed Pipkin.

"I'll go get all the help we need, Hazel!" Pipkin took the task.

"When we're ready to play our trick, we'll need to know where to find Vervain." Hazel added.

"I'll go find 'ugly Vervain' and stick to him like his ugly face sticks to him!" Kehaar volunteered, before he takes off to start searching for him.

"Hannah, how would you like to a 'hedge wizard'?" Hazel offered Hannah.

"I'll do it!" Hannah accepted the role, as she's about to be a star. "What's a 'hedge wizard'?"

"A 'hedge wizard' is someone who grants a wish." Hazel answered Hannah's question.

"A wizard lived around here?" I asked.

"We only heard stories that a 'hedge wizard' does roam around, but not certain." Hazel answered.

"Maybe perhaps, if it's not too much trouble, I could be the accident-prone apprentice." I came up with an idea to be as a apprentice.

"I don't think it'll be a good idea to show yourself in front of Vervain, he'll recognize you immediately." Bigwig refused.

"Not unless I already did my shave and haircut. He would hardly know me, a little perhaps, but I could always pull off a good impersonation without breaking character." I added.

"It won't hurt to bad." Hannah thought.

"Alright, try one." Hazel thought I should try out an impersonation.

I cleared my throat and I thought one I should right away that I could always voice like.

" _Howdy hoo, Winslows_." I greeted, as Steve Urkel from _Family Matters_. They were immediately spellbound that i was another person. " _It sure looks like it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood_." I finished with the Urkel laugh and snort.

They couldn't help, but laugh.

"That was very good." Hazel couldn't stop laughing.

"True, but the only probably is I need to dress right to fit as Steve Urkel and I don't have any suspenders." I was an outfit short.

"Maybe we could find something along the way, Pipkin are you ready?" Hazel thought, as he was prepared to leave with Pipkin.

"I almost forgot, what if we have a messenger from _Frith_?" Bigwig suggested.

"That's good idea, too." I agreed. "But, who'll be the messenger?"

Bigwig turned on Hawkbit.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, as he was his own self.

"How about you and I took a trip down to a brook?" Bigwig asked.

"Alright, if you're wanting me to be the messenger fine." Hawkbit decided to take the role.

* * *

Everyone started to get the props and cast they need: Hazel and Pipkin visited some of the animals at the down to recruit them to give them a role, Bigwig and Fiver tagged Hawkbit along for some reason I'm not sure, but I'll figure out sooner or later. I was back at my burrow sorting through the clothes that I needed to dress like Urkel. However, the only thing was missing was suspenders. Despite of dressing more casual attire, I tucked in my button-up shirt, raised my socks high level, and luckily I found a pair of Walter's glasses and was hardly damaged.

"Andrew." I heard a voice, as I turned over to see Sandy.

"Sandy, how are you?" I asked.

"I'm doing okay, heard you had another nightmare?" she asked.

"Yeah, but I rather want to bring up the ending half of it, because it'll bring it back into my head I'll be dreaming about it." I answered.

"It's about Campion." she guessed.

"For the first half and how did you know?"

"Hazel told me, when he found out you were gone in the morning." she added, as she looked down to see what I was wearing. "What's the occasion?"

"We're pulling off a trick on Vervain." I answered.

"You are? What are you going to do?"

"We're going to have Hannah disguise as a 'hedge wizard', Hawkbit as a _Frith's_ messenger, some of the animals are probably going to take a role on their parts. Me, I'm the 'hedge wizard's' apprentice." I told her and I made a poise, with a Urkel swing.

She started to laugh. "You're trying to be like Steve Urkel."

"Exactly, _Family Matters_ is one of my favorite TV shows. I thought about dressing up as Urkel and impersonate him, but I don't have suspenders.

Sandy had something popped in her head. "Actually, I do something. Come on I'll show you." I followed her to see she has a travel bag as well.

"You have your own travel pack?"

"Campion brought my bag from _Efrafa_ , from the first time I came there. Hazel delivered it to me." she brought up about her travel bag. She opened up to see a pair of glasses and suspenders from her grandfather. "I wanted to help you for this, since you rescued me."

I was shocked to see her offering me a glasses and a suspenders from her grandfather. "Sandy, I can't accept that. It belonged to your grandfather, I'm sure you wanted to take them back with you without being ruined."

"Sure you can and you will wear them." she exclaimed. "If he wanted you to dress like him, he would probably let you burrow them, if you had met him."

She won over her convection, as I decided to accept them. "Thank you, I'll damage too much." I replaced Walter's glasses with Sandy's grandfather's.

"I'm sure we both wanted to see Vervain's face when something like this happens." she added.

"Maybe you could." I said.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"How about you could be my undercover camera-person." I offered. "You'll get to see them and you'll be able to watch it all over, when you returned home."

"I'll be honored." she accepted.

"In the end if I got your number and email, I'll send it out to you." I promised.

We both shared a embracing hug. I than started to put on the suspenders and took a deep breath. "It's... Showtime!"

* * *

After getting all the props, me and Sandy headed over to meet with everyone else at a brook, where I saw Hawkbit was about to be covered in mud.

"Oh, here Sandy record on my phone." I handed over my phone to Sandy and she started to record it, as we're listening.

"Do I really have to do this?" Hawkbit questioned, as it was unnecessary.

"Get on with it." Bigwig ordered.

Hawkbit let out a sigh and started to get half of himself hardly any mud. Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, and Pipkin gathered around Hawkbit and started to scrub him with the mud. Sandy and I couldn't help, but to giggle.

"Just like Grumpy, as he's getting washed for dinner." I recalled a scene from _Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs._

"However, it's a 'Grumpy' getting dirty, other than cleaned." Sandy joked, as she continues to record the scene from my phone. Hawkbit was than completely covered in mud, except his face. With the little help of Pipkin, he grabbed a handful and splashed onto his face covering up.

"You look like an overgrown berry, Hawkbit!" Pipkin chuckled.

"It's almost time. You could end it and start a new one, after." I prepared her.

"When should I record?" she asked.

"When you see Hazel, Hannah, and I above him and hiding, that's your cue." I instructed.

She nodded her head, as we came out of hiding. "Hey everybody."

Everyone turned to see me in a different outfit.

"You're all ready?" Hazel asked.

"With suspenders and a pair of glasses from her help." I gave Sandy credited from her offering me her grandfather's pair of glasses and suspenders.

"How are you going to pull off just like that, Andrew?" Sandy questioned.

"It's no big deal, I shaved and I got myself a haircut before than and I could do a good voice." I assured her.

"Are you going to need some of the mud?" Pipkin asked, but the real lesson when acting is never, never color themselves another race.

"No, no, it's okay Pipkin, I'll be fine." I assured him, because he doesn't know much about 'blackface' and it was better for him not trying to know and doing it, without hearing about. "It's better you don't do it and I can pull it off just fine."

Pipkin understood and washed his paws, as Sandy and I let out a relief.

"Ugly Vervain and patrol just downstream Hazel." Kehaar notified Hazel, as he and Hannah landed.

"Right than, let's make Vervain believe the impossible." Hazel announced.

"And also, we have a special camera operator to do our shooting." I faced Sandy.

"We don't have time to make a joke with a 'man-made' thing." Bigwig stated.

"Don't worry, she'll be in good hiding, but we could always look back by watching it and we could laugh." I assured him.

Bigwig sighed. "Alright, be very careful Sandy."

"I'll will." she assured him.

"Campion's life depends on it." Hazel didn't want us to forget the real reason we're doing our antic.

We followed Kehaar where last seen Vervain, as he was resting on a log, as he ordered his patrol to find him some _flayrah_. Everyone got into positions, Bigwig with a hedgehog named Yona giving her flower petals to dress her in costume, Pipkin with Ruffles, a bird I suppose that doesn't swim and Slight a turtle who'll help Ruffles float, and Hawkbit was at a disclosed location where he'll make his appearance in the grand finale. Sandy is well hidden with my ghillie suit to herself well hidden from Vervain's presence and prepared to roll the camera. Finally, Hazel is over-watching Vervain's move, as Hannah finished her costume's last touches as a 'hedge wizard', as I started to take my breaths and get into my character.

"You see the log, that's where you two will make our entrance." Hazel pointed out our first cue.

"Hannah will go first and I'll come in second." I suggested.

Hannah pulled out a flower bed to use it as a hat. "Makes me look magical."

"It does, indeed." I whispered.

"Anything else before we start?" Hazel asked us for any last suggestions.

"Not really, but what they say, 'break a leg'." I wished everyone the best of luck for our antic play, with my Steve Urkel impression to start our show.

 _To Be Continued..._


	56. Episode 20: The Great Game Part 2

The Great Game Part 2

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas in this episode.

The three of us entered the log, as Hannah went in first, as I went second and Hazel was last to create, what I call special effects.

"Alright, all set." Hazel whispered quietly.

"Your cue, Hannah." I cued her for her entrance.

She cleared her throat. "VERVAIN! Ol' valiant rabbit!" she called upon Vervain, as I peeked through a crack to see Vervain shivering.

"Who... whose there?" he asked.

"IT'S IS MEEEE... HANNAH MALLANNA THE MOUSY HEDGE WIZARD!"

"P-p-please... don't hurt me." Vervian begged.

"Ready for the dusty dirt." I cued Hazel. He started to dig the dirt from the log to create dust, as it came blown towards me. It got to my nose, but I managed to hold off the sneeze.

"BEHOOLLLLLLDDDDD! Hannah Mallanna appears to grant you a secret wish." Hannah came out to shine, as Vervain shivered from the sight.

"Secret wish?" he questioned.

"You wished to capture rabbits: Hazel, Bigwig, and Fiver!" she spoke, as like a gospel congregation pastor.

He started to become surprised from what he really wanted to prove Woundwart was to capture Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig. "Yes. Yes. Yes of course, but how could you know?"

"Hannah Mallanna knows ALLLLLLLL! I'll give them to you, but you've got to believe in the magic of the HEDDDDGGGGEEE WIZZAAARDDD!" she proclaimed.

It was like the blue fairy or a fairy godmother came to grant him a wish. "I will. I-I-I do. Yes. Yes. Absolutely!"

"And you got to walk **The Enchanted Trail** , if you dare." Hannah the hedge wizard provide instructions to grant him his wish.

The nose couldn't hold any longer, I let out a sneeze, but I maintain my character, as Steve Urkel. "A-A-A-ACHOOOO!"

"Bless you." Hazel said to me, as he rubbed his nose too like he sneeze around the same time, as I did.

"You too." I said quietly.

"What's that?" Vervain asked, as he probably heard our sneeze.

"Oh, the apprentice 'hedge wizard'. Never mind him." she spoke, as it was my cue.

I rushed out of the log. "Howdy ho, hedge wizard!" As I came, I tripped over a twig near the log and I fell onto the grass. Vervain raised his eyebrow, while Hannah slapped her paw on her face. "Sorry, I'm late, I had to make sure I have all the right magic tricks equipment I need." I pulled out my travel pack.

"So you must be 'the apprentice hedge wizard'?" Vervain questioned me.

"Why yes, I have to come all the way from Chicago, Illinois. Meanwhile, I was here to study the way life animals, especially rabbits: _Oryctolagus cuniculus_." I answered in character, as I intended to remain faithful as possible to the character Steve Urkel.

"You do look like someone I know."

"Oh what fettle sticks! The hedge wizard thought I was to unqualified to be a hedge wizard. Did you know the Great Houdini was one of the greatest magicians ever walked on this Earth." I said.

"Really?" Vervain doubted.

"Well, actually it was the Great Merlin, who is the grandest wizard of them all, before The Great Houdini." I spoke with my eyes widen, as I kept my squeaky voice as Urkel. "That's why they have a table of the greatest wizards, get it." let out a giggle and a snort.

"Now it is time, for Vervain to come with us to **The Enchanted Trail**." Hannah announced for the journey for Vervain to began.

* * *

As we went on with the trail, Vervain tries to maintain his faith on capturing Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig. However, I started to worry slightly a bit, if he wouldn't believe the magic, by the time we got to our first trail.

"First part of the spell to capture Hazel, Bigwig, and Fiver isn't harrrrrd. I got to conjure up a hedgehog!" Hannah declares.

"The only way to see the hedgehog is to say the magic word: _Stffa, lapar, delacus_." I instructed Vervain. "Now you try. Easy as pie, Vervainy."

"Sounds a bit..." Vervain was hesitate.

"Oh, come oonnnn, Vervain. It's easy as pie, like I said. Pronounce correctly, magic appear."

"Alright, _stffa, lapar, delacus!_ " Vervain said the magic words.

Came out Yona, who is fully covered with pink petals. _Ohhhh... snuggle Moon, I grant thy faithful hedgehogs bone, and send me lots of slugs really soon._

Yona sang, as if she was like the Mother Abbess in _The Sound of Music_.

"What's she doing?" Vervain asked.

"Why, the dancing hedgehog is being faithful in her dance and prayers." I answered.

"I sing to Moon for my supper of slugs." Yona added.

"But, but it's daytime." Vervain couldn't believe it.

"Best time to sing to moon. She not busy shining in daytime. _Oh snuggle Moon! Hear my tone and slug me soooooon!"_ Yona than disappeared into the flower field.

"For those who are faithful, receive the award in the end." I told Vervain.

"The spell is very good, so far. Now we got to find a swimming moorhen." Hannah spoke about the second part of the quest.

"Or _Gallinula_ to put it." I intended to add more of the Latin name. Hannah turned slowly towards me with stern look, as she was Harriett Winslow.

"That's impossible! They can't swim!" Vervain protested, as he knew moorhens don't swim.

We turned to look at Vervain. "Ohhhhh, a non-believer." I shook my head at Hannah.

"Do you want to put the spell on Hazel and his friends or not?" Hannah gave him the ultimatum for him to make up his mind.

As we headed our way, I thought I should give a try on summoning a moorhen. "My hedge wizard, ma'am. May I give it try on this one, please?"

"There's no need for a magic word, the moorhen would come out." Hannah said.

"I could always try to become a better magician if I can't be the wizard." I insisted.

"Very well than." she decided. "Now my apprentice will do his magic trick to have the moorhen to swim."

"Fantastic-do. I just need to have my equipment." I opened my travel pack to have my cowboy hat. Since I didn't have the top hat, I just pretended it was, as I pulled out a blanket, as my cape and finally picked up a long stick. Before I make up the words, I practiced with my fake wand to make sure it was pointy enough, as I would probably stall time for the moorhen to be prepared. Vervain and Hannah looked at each other, as I was making a fool of myself.

"Maybe perhaps, I could be an assit-"

"Shhhhh." I hushed Vervain. "Not while I'm making a spell."

Hannah shook her head, as I continued to prepare to do a trick, as I took a deep breath. I went back into practicing with the wand.

"OH WILL YOU JUST DO IT!" Vervain shouted at me, as I jumped, while Hannah wasn't surprised like she was use to it.

"I'm a patient, patient apprentice." I said. "It takes time for me to make sure I get the words right."

Finally, I cleared my throat. "Moorhen, _Gallinula_ , SWIM!"

"Oh, the magic is getting strong. I can feel it!" Hannah prophesied of Vervain's wish near coming true.

A gasp came out from Vervain, when he saw a moorhen swimming on a stream of water. "Moorhens don't swim. There must be something wrong with her."

Hannah covered her mouth, as she couldn't help giggle inside.

"Oh nothing wrong with me. Moorhens swim in autumn, it makes my feathers grow. Silly rabbit." the moorhen spoke, as she swam away.

"The trail of enchantment is leading as good." she quietly giggled. "Next we find, _Frith's_ messenger."

"Around here?" Vervain questioned.

"Not far, if the spell is good, he'll grant you your wish." Hannah continued. "Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig will be your prisoners."

Vervain let out a cheerful chuckle. "I wish Woundwart was here to see this."

"One wish per customer." she pointed out.

"I did it." I pretend that it was my first well done magic trick. "I did it, I did it! One day I'll be the Chicago's greatest wizard." I swished my fake wand and unexpectedly, a magic power came out of the stick and struck at a branch and it fell to the ground. Shocking Vervain and even Hannah saw a rare magic that hardly anyone or no one could do. They than looked at me, as I looked at them and back at the now dead branch.

I smiled, as I turned back at them. "Did I do that?"

Vervain glared at me, as Hannah simply shook her head in disapproval. "He still needs practice of course." she whispered and he understood, sort of.

* * *

Finally, we arrived where _Frith's_ messenger would make the appearance in the middle of the woods.

"This is it, Vervain." I said. "Ready for your wish?"

"Oh yes, do you ever had a wish?" he asked.

"Well, since you spoke about it. One day, I wish that my very own Sweet Laura Winslow will come to my arms and give me a kiss in marriage." I spoke about my wish, as I put my lips together, as if I was going to try to kiss Vervain.

Oddly, disgusted in a wrong way, he backed away from me.

"Now! I summon _Frith's_ messenger." she let out her arms high to summon him. No one came.

"Oh my _Frith_ , please deliver us a messenger to grant a wish." I pretended to bow down to summon _Frith's_ messenger. I looked around and no messenger came. "It'll be very nice for the messenger to arrive, soon."

The sound of rustle came, as _Frith's_ messenger (Hawkbit) landed on the pile of grass with a well-crafted turban like. "Right, here I'm."

"Oh great _Frith's_ message came for us." I bowed down to pretend.

"You came from _Frith_?" Vervain questioned in shock and in belief.

"You're supposed to bow down! Show some respect!" I whispered harshly at Vervain.

"Oh right." Vervain made a quick bow, before standing back up.

"I did come from _Frith_ , right out of the sky mate." he spoke. "Now let's get down to it. You want Hazel, Bigwig, and Fiver?"

"Yes! Yes, I do." Vervain spoke solemnly.

"Al-abbazoom! You got them!" the messenger granted Vervain's wish.

We looked towards a tall boulder slope and out came Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig hopping with their ears pointed horizontally like they were being hypnotized.

"Woundwart is our master." the three spoke.

Vervain couldn't believe his eyes, as the leaders of Watership Down were present in front of him. He let out a laugh, as it was his biggest moment.

"It is astounding! Wonderful, you'll follow me to _Efrafa_." Vervain tries to command the hypnotized Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig.

"Woundwart is our master. We follow him, only him." The three spoke.

Vervain became a bit mad, as his command wasn't obeyed. "This is no good. Make them follow me!"

"Best I could do mate." the messenger could only do what he could do.

"There is a saying about 'being-careful what you wish for'. Get it?" I laughed and snorted.

Vervain took a moment to think and decided to do something else with them. "Is... Campion a traitor to _Efrafa_?"

"We only tell Woundwart." the three spoke.

Vervain burst into laughter. "He is a traitor! I knew it! I need to get Woundwart that's what I'll do." He hopped around, as he was about to be given second in command, in which he hardly was, when I know him. " _Efrafa_ would honor me!"

"Oh yes... being honored and accepted as a generous reward for the their capture." I spoke.

"Will they wait here?" Vervain asked the messenger.

"Being under a spell and all, I imagine they will." he answered.

Vervain turned towards Hannah and me. "You two are the best hedge wizards in the world! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I'll be back!" He began to head his way back to _Efrafa_ to give General Woundwart the big news that would enlighten their day of success.

I shook my head, as I become myself again. "What... a... dumb-ass."

I chuckled, until we all started to laugh ourselves hard, than ever! Even Sandy came out of hiding, as she just finished filming. "This will be the Best Picture for The Oscars!" she continued to laugh.

"Did you... did you see his face!" Bigwig continued to laugh, especially from the shocking look that Vervain made, when he saw Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig himself.

Hannah rolled on the ground and laughed. "I'm the best _Hedge Wizard_ in the world!"

"I can't believe he would fall for that!" I couldn't stop laughing. "I heard moorhens do swim and I have no idea how a branch fall from a tree"

"How did you made the branch fall?" Hannah stopped laughed and asked.

"I don't know..." I wasn't sure, but I decided to make a good joke with Urkel's catchphrase. "DID I DO THAT?"

After all of us got our laughs out of the system, Hazel got us back into focus. "Right, let's clear away our tracks. We can't leave any signs at all if this is going to work." We all got started to clear our trails and footprints, well except for the tree branch that fell by an unfortunate accident.

* * *

Minutes after we cleaned up our trails and tracks, we met back where our final scene was, but we were up top of the boulder. I saw Hawkbit was trying to clean the mud off of him, but spit out of disgust.

"This better work. I'm going to look like a carrot for weeks." Hawkbit hoped.

"It will work." Bigwig assured him. "Vervain is a superstitious sort."

"Yes, but we have to convince Woundwart that Vervain has gone mad." Hazel added.

"They're all mad in _Efrafa_ anyway." Hannah stated.

"Besides of you being dirty, I could actually give you a good bath to clean you up good." I offered Hawkbit.

"No, no, not very much thank you. I prefer to bath myself." Hawkbit refused.

Kehaar came landing down on the edge. "Woundwart is coming with Vervain! Small patrol, with Campion with them!"

"Campion?!" I exclaimed.

"This just might work." Bigwig believed.

"I hope it does work, for Campion's sake." I worry, if a single mark or trail that showed our presence there, Campion would be in trouble that he would be executed without doubt, if Vervain said was true.

We waited for minutes of Woundwart and his patrol arrive, but was taking long in thought because Vervain is wanting to show the real fact that we were there. About minutes later, we went into hiding, as we peeked down to watch Vervain desperately by now showing Woundwart the signs of _Frith's_ messenger had came and granted his wish.

"All three of them were right here!" Vervain pointed at a boulder where Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig stood.

"Check the areas for tracks, Moss." Woundwart ordered another rabbit to check for tracks.

As he was watching Moss to see if any tracks were present, I peeked at Campion to see him skinny near to the bones, like from my dream.

"Nothing sir." Moss said to Woundwart.

"But, but _Frith's_ messenger was here with ivy around his ears and Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig-"

"Of course they were." Woundwart interrupted Vervain, as he made a growl frightening Vervain.

Vervain continued to charade from what he saw, as it goes down to a fake magic trick we made to convince Vervain that it was real. "They were in a trance! They swore they would follow you, General and they told me Campion was a traitor."

"And did they tell you cows could jump over a moon?!" Woundwart questioned.

"On my ears, sir!" Vervain began to beg for his life. "It's all true! You've got to believe me, I beg you General!"

"Vervain is relieved from his command." Woundwart announced, before turning towards Moss. "Escort him back to _Efrafa_ and put him to work with the slaves."

Moss immediately obliges the order, as he smirked down on Vervain, while he started to become a senile lunatic, as he was being escorted back muttering the words from what he had saw.

"He's obviously mad." Woundwart said to Campion.

"Mad as a mad hatter." I whispered to Hazel and the others.

"It seems you suffered as a result, Campion. I shouldn't have listened to Vervain's wild accusations. You've always stood by me Campion... and I know you always will." Woundwart exonerated and restored Campion's position with a full Woundwart's apology.

"I will always do my duty to _Efrafa_ , sir." Campion committed.

"I believe you will Captain." Woundwart believed.

Before I let Campion go, I came out of hiding and in my bag was an apple. Campion spotted me and he looked slightly disoriented. I just simply gave him the apple.

"Please eat it." I begged. "To gain your strength."

Campion sniffed at the apple and took a bite and continued to eat the apple, until he finished it to the seeds. "Thank you... Andrew."

I smiled, as he did, before joining back with General Woundwart back to _Efrafa_. Soon after, everyone came out of hiding.

"That was noble of you of doing that, Andrew." Hazel commended me.

"He must feel like a slug. Pledging loyalty to a chief while betraying him all along." Bigwig said.

"There's always things in life we have to do, that we have no choice that we're not proud of." I stated.

"Like I said to you before, Andrew. I'm glad I'm not traveling in his trails." Hawkbit recalled.

"We need to get Campion out there! No matter what!" I proposed.

Hazel nodded. "It's about that time too. He should be with us now."

"Oh he's one of us alright. He's proved it." Bigwig smiled.

* * *

About a day or two later after of our little phenomenal, antic performance that we shared with the rest of the warren of our trickery. Everyone couldn't help to get a good laugh from Vervain being fooled to believe the impossible that was false. Later on, Hazel, Primrose, Bigwig, and myself decided to meet with Campion to give him a welcoming in arms to his new home. When we got to the meeting point near sundown, Campion arrived back in his strength, but stronger than before.

"Campion, Thank God you're alright! I never thought you would have recovered soon." I exclaimed in relief.

"Thanks to you, it was my first _flayrah_ I had, before I was able to have my _flayrah_ again." Campion smiled.

"Glad to see you out and about again, Campion." Hazel said.

"I don't know how you all managed to send Vervain round the bend, but thank you for freeing me." Campion thanked us.

"You have done enough for us that we had to offer back to you for your help." Bigwig added.

"We come to take you to our warren." Primrose said, as she placed her paws on his paw. "Come home with us."

"I can't go Primrose." he politely refuses. "You need me where I am. There's no one else to warn you of Woundwart's plans."

"You have done enough. Not only that, after he treated you unfairly, before he pardoned you." I stated.

"It's alright, lad. You showed your kindness, as I do my best to show others in my warren, despite they won't learn though, except Moss and Tyler."

"Tyler?! He was at _Efrafa_?!" I questioned.

He sighed. "He was only weeks ago."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Hazel asked.

"He didn't you all to know where he was. He even told me to promise him not to reveal his whereabouts, espeically returning back to _Efrafa_. However, he didn't stay there long, until he decided to sneak away from _Efrafa_ , as I advised him too for him and _Frith's_ sake." Campion made a promise to Tyler.

Upsetting Bigwig, he stormed away from us and headed back to the warren.

"Bigwig, wait!" I tried to stop him, but he was disappointed and upset from what Campion told us.

"I'm sorry." Campion apologized.

"You don't need to. You made a promise to him and you're really at fault, it was like we're to blame, mostly Hawkbit." I said.

"Well... than you should know where to find our warren." Hazel friendly offered Campion his visit. "In case you have to run."

"Or join us in a special occasion, even Christmas could be around the corner." I added.

Campion shrugged his head, as he didn't know what Christmas means, at the same time he shook his head. "No... I appreciate your hospitality, but I don't want to know where it is. From there, I could never tell."

"Please let us do something to repay you." Primrose begged.

"There is... stay free and stay happy." Campion smiled at her. "Don't let Woundwart win. Do that for me and all of this will be worthwhile."

She nodded her in agreement. "I will."

"So do I." I agreed also.

Campion nodded his head, before heading back to _Efrafa_. I let out a sigh and a disapproving shake of my head.

"I don't understand, Hazel. He doesn't have to stay in _Efrafa_." Primrose couldn't believe that Campion refuses to live with us.

"He can't leave. He's a warrior and Woundwart is his chief." Hazel told her what Campion is.

"However, he still has heart, unlike everybody else in _Efrafa_." I added.

"But he is betraying him!" Primrose exclaimed.

"And that's his tragedy." Hazel sadly put it.

" _Loyalty to the Nation all the time, loyalty to the government when it deserves it_." I quoted a quote from Mark Twain and I let out a tear.

Hazel and Primrose turned towards me. "Let's go home." I said in sadness from Campion not joining us.

They warmly smiled and nodded, as the three of us started our journey back to Watership Down.

* * *

When we got back to our warren by the time the evening star came, Bigwig had isolated himself from the warren in his burrow. Primrose excused herself to have their kittens ready for bed, as Hazel and I went to see about Bigwig's upset.

"Bigwig?" I tried to get his attention.

"Why did he do it?" Bigwig asked both me and Hazel, as he was looking away from us.

"Show a little sympathy for Tyler, there has to be a reason why he went back to _Efrafa_." Hazel answered.

"That's NO EXCUSE FROM HIM TO VISIT AN ENEMY WARREN!" Bigwig shouted, as he pounded his paw on the wall.

"I don't it he didn't just went over there, he probably just came across paths with them or stumbled upon them. It wasn't on purpose." I tried to explain.

"Still an _Owsla_ rabbit in our warren, decided to hop to an enemy warren! It's not excusable and unforgiving! Why don't you two see it?!" Bigwig exclaimed.

"He didn't join them because of it, he ran away and stumbled upon them. Besides, he was probably all over the place and Campion told us that he left." I went on.

"He didn't stayed with them long, according to Campion." Hazel agreeing to the recollection.

Bigwig sighed angrily. "Despite of running away, I don't believe it's an excuse to visit an enemy warren that they're trying to destroy us."

Hazel and I didn't have much words to say. "When we found him, he may not wanted to remember about it, because the next thing he wanted is to be returning home safe. Just think about it." I finished, as I decided to leave Bigwig to clear his temper.

I made my walk to make my way back to my burrow. When I got back to my burrow, I decided to prepare to call it the day. I didn't even think Tyler meant to stay at _Efrafa_ , especially after being captured.

"Andrew?"

In my bed, I looked over towards the entrance to see Hazel. "Hey Hazel... he still didn't wanted to listen right?"

Hazel shook his head, as he came towards me. "It's just who he is, but not always."

I sighed. "Hopefully he'll forget about sooner or later. Even when we find Tyler."

"I'm sure he might." Hazel hoped.

"Hearing one of the best _Owsla_ officers running off and stayed temporarily at our enemy's warren." I added.

"Bigwig won't be in his best moods if he even heard Hawkbit and/or Dandelion joined them. He'll probably wanted to hit the roof and have them do an all day patrol around the warren." I added.

Hazel chuckled. "That wouldn't happened, but it would be sight, if it did."

I yawned. "Well... I might as well call it the day."

"I agree. We had a grand day. Especially, I was amazed to see what you gave to Campion, before he left." Hazel than remembers what I offered to Campion, before he went back to being fit.

"He's been through enough and the next thing he needed was to have appreciation like we gave him as always, but in this situation I had to gave him something or he probably could have died during his trip back." I feared.

"Campion is strong. He would have made it back to _Efrafa_ at ease." Hazel assured me, as we than saw Campion later today.

"Well goodnight Hazel." I came and gave him a hug and a kiss as he was a parent of mine or a close family relative. Hazel wasn't sure why I did it.

"Why did you do it?" he asked.

"Because you're being so kind, as always. I looked up to you as a family relative one day." I scrambled. "Also messing a parent's good night hug is another, when going to bed."

Hazel thought it was warm heartening and he gave me a hug and a nuzzle. "Have a goodnight sleep, lad. If you need anything from a nightmare, I'll be here."

"Thank you, Hazel." I thanked him, as he warmly smiled before leaving the burrow.

I tucked myself into bed, as I decided to picture Hazel in my dream and it was successful, after I closed my eyes and drifted into a goodnight sleep.

 _To Be Continued..._


	57. Winter On Watership Down Prologue

Winter On Watership Down Prologue

Fiver was alone in his burrow, as he's asleep during the cold beginning of winter days. He started to move his feet quickly, as if he was being chased. He was in a dream, as he hopped around at another human place, but have another language that he hasn't seen before.

"This is definitely not Watership Down." he said to himself.

He started to wander around the unknown land. He was at a waterfront, where he ends up seeing a bridge. He saw a set stairs that he first touched the bottom step and he backed away. Until he realized the steps of stairs were motionless, he decided to journey his way up the stairs one step and after another. When he got up, he noticed crowds of people were going on about their daily lives. He saw a van that ended up parking on the curb of the sidewalk. The driver came out with a net that feared Fiver, but apparently the man headed towards an alley.

"That was close." he said. Suddenly, a young boy came out of no where and peeked through the back of the van. Fiver became curious to see who the boy was, as he hopped into the street quickly as possible as the passing _hrududus_ were driving quickly. When he successfully reached where the van was, he hid underneath the van and watched the boy, as he was trying to pick lock the back of the van.

"What's he doing?" Fiver questioned himself. After the boy opened the van, a pack of dogs, as they started to roam through the streets of Berlin, as he followed the dogs.

"I don't believe it. That child just-"

"Tyler, where are you?" a woman walked around the corner, as she was searching for the boy.

"Tyler?! No, it can't be." Fiver disbelieved.

The world started to spin, as Fiver was taken into the vortex and transferred into another world. He looked around to see he was like tall, until he tried to forward his paw, he jumped back to notice it was the edge.

"Great _Frith_ , where am I?!" Fiver exclaimed, as he noticed clouds in the sky and he was near towards the sun. A hand came out of nowhere that jumped Fiver back towards an antenna and up came the same boy from the first dream sequence.

"It is Tyler!" Fiver was surprised.

The young Tyler walked towards the steel and began climbing up towards the very top of the tower.

"Tyler, what are you doing?! It's dangerous!" Fiver tried to warn him, but Tyler was determined to climb to the top. Fiver continued to watch him, as soon Tyler reached towards the very top, he reached his hand and started to climb down slowly. Fiver wondered what Tyler was carrying down with him, until he reached towards the same level as Fiver to see Tyler was holding a young kitten.

"Amazing." Fiver was amazed from Tyler's fearlessness and determination.

The world span once again, as Fiver was taken to the vortex until he arrived at a busiest streets of a city. Fiver noticed to see greens across from him to see a sign called "Central Park".

"'Central Park'." Fiver read the bold letters. " _Frith_ made some strange places that ended up being habituated by 'man'."

Fiver crossed the street and entered the park to see the greens of the grass. "Impossible." Fiver looked around to see the trees and grasses green. He hopped along the park trail. He than saw Tyler once again walking around the park, while listening to his Zune HD. Tyler stopped and gasped, as he hurried somewhere that Fiver had to follow to see what's happening. Fiver stopped when he saw Tyler was removing a snare from a rabbit.

"Clover?!" Fiver recognized the fur clothing exactly like Clover's, but when Tyler picked her up, Fiver realized the eye color was different. The rabbit gave Tyler a kiss in thanking him for saving his life. Fiver couldn't help, but smile in cherish from Tyler's good deeds.

Tyler got back up and put back on his headphones, as he feels good of saving a rabbit from probably being food. Fiver continued to follow him, until they arrived at an orphanage. Tyler started to cross the street, as Fiver watched. Until Fiver heard a screech that came out of no where, as a _hrududu_ was heading towards Tyler's path. Without warning, a yellow cab like _hrududu_ struck Tyler, as he flew and landed hard on the hrududu's path.

"TYLER!" Fiver screamed and hurried over to him to see Tyler in lifeless state. "Tyler, wake up. You can't be dead!"

He looked around to see humans were gathering around the lifeless orphaned boy. Fiver closed his eyes. _Lord Frith, my heart has joined the Thousands, for my friend stopped running today_. After his prayer, he looked at his surroundings to see the humans are not doing anything, but muttered about what happned, as one was talking on a 'ringing' device.

"STOP STANDING THERE AND HELP HIM!" Fiver shouted at the humans that no one could hear him, as he continued to try to get his attention, but not a single soul heard him.

* * *

"Fiver, wake up." Hazel and I tried to wake him up, as he gently shook his little brother.

Fiver gasped.

"Fiver, are you alright?" I asked.

"What is it, little brother?" Hazel nuzzled him.

"I just had a crazy dream, about Tyler." Fiver shook his head.

"It was just a dream, Fiver. You're home." Hazel comforted him.

"Although I can't say if it's true or not, but Tyler did works that not a human has ever done to another animal."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"One part of my dream I was at a foreign land, where Tyler released a pack dogs from a big _hrududu_." Fiver started to tell us about his dream.

"You mean 'dog catcher's' van?" I asked.

"I don't know... it seems that way, as the man came out with a net. Next, I was sent to another land where I was on top of the world." he continued.

"On top of the world?" Hazel was surprised.

"Like a tower or something?" I asked Fiver for details.

"I did see some letters in a strange language, alike to another one before. Although I looked around to see there was 'The Great Water' around us." he answered.

"I guess you were at Tokyo, Japan. Where you before than?"

"I did saw bold letters on my first dream saying 'BERLIN' in bold." Fiver answered.

"So you been to Berlin, Germany and Tokyo, Japan, seeing each events that Tyler saved an animal or animals." I summed up.

"Yes, on my last dream, I was at Central Park."

"New York City." I said to him.

"There I saw him rescuing a doe in a shining wire and she was freed from his help." Fiver continued.

"You seem to have a grand adventurous dream, but what happen?" Hazel thought it was a wonderful dream of seeing the world, but he felt there was a catch that ended terrible.

Fiver sniffled. "I followed Tyler to an orphanage, according to a sign. He started to cross the _hrududu_ path, until a yellow _hrududu_ came out of no where and struck Tyler. It was horrible to see him died."

"There now Fiver, he's alright now. He's one of us now." Hazel comforted and nuzzled his little brother, as always when Fiver was sad or distress.

"Well that did seem to be a bad dream ending. I'm sorry about that, Fiver. However, you should what Hazel said, he's alright now." I assured Fiver.

"However, he's still missing." Fiver reminded us that he's still away from our warren.

"One way or another, we will find him and bring home. One day." Hazel promised.

"I hope you don't mind, if you two stay here for tonight." Fiver asked.

"Of course, Fiver. Always." Hazel immediately responded with a 'yes'.

I nodded in agreement. "Sure, you have helped me on my nightmare, now I'll help you."

We got close to Fiver, as he rested on Hazel's side.

"How about a lullbye to help you sleep?" I offered Fiver.

"I would like one, thank you. Perhaps you could sing to me the one you did back in Cowslip's Warren."

"What was it called?" Hazel wondered.

"It was called _Hushabye Mountain_. I hope you don't mind you could sing it, Andrew?" Fiver answered.

"Of course. Perhaps Hazel you could join too." I was glad to sing to him, even offered Hazel to join the song.

"I don't know, if I could sing." Hazel chuckled.

"Please Hazel. I think you'll be terrific." Fiver insisted.

Hazel gave in and decided to try. "For you Fiver. Perhaps I could sing it to my children."

"Never a bad idea." I encouraged. "Alright, Fiver time to get some sleep."

He began to snuggle onto Hazel, as he cuddled Fiver. I cued up the music off my phone.

(Andrew's Part)

 _A gentle breeze from Hushabye Mountain_  
 _Softly blows over Lullaby Bay,_  
 _It fills the sails of boats that are waiting,_  
 _Waiting to sail your worries away._

I nodded my help, as I showed him the next lyric. (Hazel's Part)

 _It isn't far to Hushabye Mountain,_  
 _And your boat waits down by the quay._  
 _The winds of night sdo softly are sighing,_  
 _Soon they will fly your troubles to sea._

Hazel finished his part, as he gave sleeping Fiver a nuzzle with a kiss.

(Andrew and Hazel joined together)

So _close your eyes on Hushabye Mountain,_  
 _Wave goodbye to cares of the day,_  
 _And watch your boat from Hushabye Mountain_  
 _Sail far away from Lullaby Bay._

After Fiver was fast asleep, Hazel and I decided to fall asleep, as I gave Fiver my blanket and I rested my head on Hazel's other side, as I tucked myself into another blanket, where the three of us fall sleep.


	58. Winter On Watership Down Part 1

Winter On Watership Down Part 1

 **Author's Note: Here it is! The first Winter On Watership Down Episode. I would like to thank everyone for your support of reading the series and I thank you and appreciate everyone of you. Especially for Supernova2015 for his wondrous ideas for this episode and a surprise to you all after the whole episode ends. Stay Tuned!**

The months of fall quickly faded, as the last leaves fell from the trees and the snow started to come down on Watership Down. The winter days came, as the weather began to grow colder and unlike where I lived back in states in the warmest weather parts of California, except of rain and dark clouds, the world of Watership Down was filled with snow. I woke up in the morning to see I was lying next to Hazel, while Fiver was on the other side of him. Doing my morning stretch, as I yawned without waking them up. Afterwards, I sat back down and pulled out my phone.

"Wonder what day it is?" I asked myself quietly.

When I unlocked my phone, the date shown as December 24th... Christmas Eve. I couldn't help to feel a bit saddened from the fact that I felt like I have been living here for two years. I would remember my last Christmas that I had was with my mother and my younger sisters. Normally, we would have dinner at In and Out, after I've been picked up from home after work. While we were eating our dinner, we drive around the different neighborhoods nearby to gaze and amaze of Christmas lights and displays outside of people's homes. After our drive, we would retire before Christmas morning.

"I don't know how I got put with this." I shook my head. "It's like I'm missing another year of Christmas family tradition." A text came out of no where hoping to see if my family messaged me. When I opened up the text app, it was unknown sender. A bit down from the result, but I decided to view the message and it was audio. I pulled out my headphones and listened to the audio. Out burst into a Christmas beat, disco like beat, until I saw the heading Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Christmas Song.

 _Pinperu Bells, Pinperu Bells!_  
 _Pupaupa-Papu!_  
 _Pupo pipupupi pipapipupapapapu_  
 _Pinperu Bells, Pinperu Bells!_  
 _Pupaupa-Papu!_  
 _Popipi-po papipipipipapapa_  
 _Papipepipopio pepepapapopi_  
 _Pupipopapapo papupupapapu_  
 _Papapipopopepo papapipupepa_  
 _Papapopipupapapipo papapipaupa_  
 _Pinperu Bells, Pinperu Bells!_  
 _Pupaupa-Papu!_  
 _Pupo pipupupi pipapipupapapapu_  
 _Pinperu Bells, Pinperu Bells!_  
 _Pupaupa-Papu!_  
 _Popipi-po papipipipi_  
 _Pi Po Pa!_

I smiled. "Sounds like it'll be a song that Tyler would send to me."

Fiver woke up in a gasp. I looked back to see him, as he was awake and I removed my headphones. "Oh, good morning Fiver, slept good."

He was silent, as he dropped his ears in a trance like state.

"Fiver, are you okay?" I asked.

 _A friend, who left our union, reunites with his family. He now forgets, as he forgotten loved ones he once holds dearly._ Fiver visioned, as he than wakes.

"The dream I have last night and now I just visioned." he stated.

" _A friend, who left our union, reunites with his family. He now forgets, as he forgotten loved ones he once holds dearly._ '" I recited the what Fiver visioned.

"What if they're both related?" Fiver asked.

"Beats me... it sounds like someone left a family than comes back. The downside is that he forgot about his family that he doesn't remember." I putted in details.

"It couldn't be you because you remember your family still." Fiver said.

"Right." I agreed.

Fiver gasped. "It may be Tyler!"

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"I don't know, but I dreamed about him last night. What if we did find him, but he forgets who we're." Fiver figured.

"It'll be heartbreaking to see it, but I recommend that we remain optimistic of seeing him again. Although we just have to be aware, if it happens in case, we'll have to have settling approach to deal with it." I said, as I didn't want him to feel down from his vision.

Fiver nodded his head. "Still I couldn't believe he was so dedicated to save those animals."

"Hardly anybody does, only to the few people with great hear and love for animals." I added.

All the sudden, we saw Hazel's kittens were hopping around the burrow waking up their father, as they jumped on. "It's _Frith's Eve!_ Wake up, Father!" they cheered.

Hazel shook himself from his surprise from his kittens, as the kittens chuckled and giggled.

"Sorry to give you a surprise awake, wanted to wish you a wonderful _Frith's Eve_." Snowdrop said.

"Not at all." he smiled, as he was starting to wake himself up.

"Good morning all." Fiver greeted everyone.

"Good morning Fiver." Hazel greeted.

"Good morning, Uncle Fiver!" Hazel's kittens greeted

" _Frith's Eve_ is here!" Mallow exclaimed.

"So I noticed, it came very quickly." Fiver smiled.

"It's going to be a big day, we'll have to find some _flaryah_ for _The Feast of Frith_." Hazel added.

"I almost forgotten from last year. It's like I forgotten about Christmas last year... or two years ago actually was my with my family." I tried to recall about last years, but I still couldn't able to fathom from the fact that it was two years that I spend my last Christmas with my family and since a year ago I wasn't home. All I could remember last year was sitting in my burrow and looked through family pictures from my past Christmas years spending time with my family.

"I still didn't understand why you didn't join us last year." Hazel questioned in concern.

"Well... for me on Christmas Eve and Day, I would be spending time with my family. Just like last year... it's the same void." I sadly stated.

"Perhaps you could join us for your Christmas time with us." Fiver suggested.

"Oh yes please, especially on _Frith's Eve_." Mallow pleaded.

"What's 'Christmas'?" Snowdrop wondered.

"It's a festive time of year when humans gather with their families to spend time with their loved ones, especially giving each gifts. More importantly, some believers like myself celebrate of Christ's birth, 'The Very First Christmas'." I explained to them.

"Sounds alike to _Frith's Eve_. Perhaps you could share with us your story." Hazel kindly offered a suggestion.

I wanted to, but since I was away, I was down from not having the Christmas spirit I once have. Especially, working at Wal-Mart during that time of year where customers would probably to inwardly focused on getting gifts and next thing they do, if they get it; they would demand for a refund or speaking to management. What I call it is commercialism!

"Please, Andrew, please." Hazel kittens pleaded once again.

I looked at Fiver, as he smiled warmly alike to his brother, at that point I fall in. "Alright... I'll have to get back into the spirit."

The kittens cheered, however I noticed Gila was down, as her siblings left the burrow. Even Hazel noticed her downs, as he watched her the whole time, after he was awaken.

"Something wrong, you don't feel excited. Are you alright?" Hazel nuzzled her daughter.

"Well... it's just that Tyler isn't here and it doesn't feel the same." she stated. "I missed him so much."

Hazel comforted his daughter.

"You know, Gilia; while we're out looking for food, we'll more definitely search for Tyler along the way as always." I gave Gilia hoped. "However, I wanted you to promise me something."

"Sure, Uncle Andrew." she said.

"I still wanted you to spend time this year with your family and imagine he's here. It helps. Because I remember, we don't have relative here, we just imagine and do things like we always do every year in Christmas and _Frith's Eve_ for you rabbits though." I gave.

Gilia pulled herself up with a cheerful smile. "I will Uncle Andrew. Thank you."

After she left, I still didn't know why she called me 'uncle', despite we're not even close to being related. "I don't understand why your kittens called me 'uncle'?"

"Every rabbit kittens, if someone is dear friend or a close relative; such as Bigwig, as well being related like Fiver. Kittens called them 'uncles' or 'aunts'." Hazel explained.

I nodded. "I guess that it explains it."

"Alright, come on you two. We have the busiest time of year, as always. I'll have Kehaar invite neighboring animals to join our feast, as we'll check to see if there's enough _flayrah_ for everyone." Hazel instructed us the tasks for the morning.

* * *

When we exited out of the burrow, followed the tunnels and entered The Honeycomb to everyone is preparing to be festive. Pipkin started to put up mistletoe greens and also with ones with berries. Hawkbit went outside to search for _flayrah_ I suppose. At one point Fiver decided to join Hawkbit to find food to help with him; as for Kehaar he's about to head out to invite neighboring animals and possibly rabbits without doubt. When I got to the _flayrah_ storage burrow with Hazel tagging along with me, Blackberry, Hannah, Bigwig were already there.

"How can we make a feast out of this dried up lot of leftovers." Bigwig shook his head.

"We're lucky to have any food at all, Bigwig." Blackberry spoke. "I heard some of the animals are going hungry this year."

"Winter days are tough for the animals." I sadly stated.

Hazel noticed as the _flayrah_ is going scarce. "Unfortunately, we will too if the snow doesn't break soon."

"Hard times ahead for sure." Hannah stated to the same point that I made.

I took off my travel back and opened up the main pocket. They looked to see I have some left overs also and I placed in them with the pile.

"Andrew, don't do this. It's your own food." Bigwig spoke.

"It's alright. Christmas is all about giving. I've been saving them for sometime. It's not much, but please take it, for your guys _The Feast of Frith_ holiday." I offered some greens and an apple before the winter season came.

"We appreciate your generous offer." Hazel was pleased along with Blackberry, Bigwig, and Hannah.

"How kind. _Frith_ bless you." Blackberry and Bigwig were appreciated also.

"Although it still isn't enough." Hazel stated, as it still won't be enough for everyone.

"Maybe we should... cancel the feast." Blackberry thought.

"Please don't say that. You'll be giving it up too easy. This once a year is important to you rabbits and you know." I thought it was absurd.

"Maybe we should." Hazel might agree to her suggestion, as he hopped away.

We shook our heads, as he exited out of the storage burrow, as we maintained our cheerful faces for not wanting to upset or let the warren down. Primrose came out from a tunnel with more greens to decorate the warren with the rest of the rabbits. I looked around to see Gilia is maintaining her spirit, as she's playing _Tail-Tag_ with her siblings. I couldn't be able to find Clover anywhere.

"Say... where's Clover?" I asked Blacberry and Primrose.

"She's in her burrow. She's dreadfully upset and sad as usual." Primrose answered.

I started to remember, how sadden she was when Tyler left, even speaking minutes ago with Gilia about his absence. "It must be because of Tyler."

That's because it is about Tyler's absence from the warren." Blackberry still remembers.

"Ever since Tyler ran off, she hasn't been herself." Primrose added.

"I know what you mean. Clover was the best mom that a kid like Tyler could wish for. Unfortunately, since Hawkbit had to blurt out his stupid big mouth, to say such horrid things about Tyler, just because of his checkered past." I understood what it was like to have family absence when a family is away for reasons that is understandable, however in this case it's unimaginable. "I remember when my stepfather had to be deployed in the military. It wasn't the same when I spend time with Christmas one year with my mother and sisters. Even years back when my brother got deployed also." I than let out a sigh. "It would take a miracle... no... I mean a Christmas miracle for Tyler to come back."

We than listened after our talk, as Pipkin was in the highest best of cheers of the _Frith's_ season, before he headed off to fetch more greens for the decorating, as Primrose joins him.

"Are you going to tell him, or should I?" Bigwig sighed.

"No one is going to tell anybody about this." I stated. "Even we have something small, we could always pull out the best of Christmas and _Frith's Eve_ this time a year."

Kehaar walked in, as he shook himself off as he was covered in snow.

"Steady on Kehaar. No need to bring the outdoors in the indoors." the snow sprinkled on Dandelion, as he got snow on him. I could help, but giggled from the sight of it.

"Okay fine! You go deliver invitations then!" Kehaar exclaimed, until he came towards us. "Kehaar do like your style: invite neighbors to feast; moles coming, Yona the hedgehog coming."

Despite of him announcing some good news about following neighbors, he than realized that we're not to pleased for us not having enough food.

"What's wrong with your face? Kehaar do something wrong?" Kehaar asked.

"No it not that, Kehaar you did nothing wrong." I assured him.

"There isn't enough food, we may have to cancel the whole thing." Bigwig whispered, as we than spotted Pipkin playing _Tail-Tag_ , as he came back in from his task.

"It doesn't make any sense to cancel it completely!" I whispered quietly. "We need to keep up the Christmas and your guys' _Frith's Eve_ spirits alive."

"Andrew's right, we can't do that and letting the warren down. We'll raid the farm and bring back _flayrah_ for everyone." Hazel planned.

It sounds promising, but I still feel that won't be the brightest.

"What's with your ears, Andrew?" Hazel asked.

"It's a good idea, but we don't even know if the snow might storm and getting lost. Not to forget that farmers don't really plant anything unless they came out from underground. The snow storms probably killed most of the food." I worried.

"Only one way to find out! We need to have faith and trust in _Frith_." Hazel declared.

I raised my eyebrow. "I mean for you for your faith, of course." Hazel corrected.

"It's alright and I know what you mean." I smiled.

* * *

When we got outside, the clouds are darker and it's hard to tell if it was the afternoon or late afternoon. A single drop of snow fell from the sky and landed on Dandelion's nose. Hazel gathered the _Owsla_ rabbits to join him on the raid. I got myself into heavy winter clothing from last year and surprisingly I didn't out grow them. Probably away from eating some of the foods I ate back at home. The snowflakes started to drop more and more of them like a storm warning.

"Looks like it'll get worse, before it gets better." Primrose worried.

"We'll be back soon, I promise." Hazel assured his mate with a nuzzle.

I than looked over to see Hawkbit and Clover were speaking to each other.

"Listen Clover... I really regretted what I said about Tyler. I never intended to hurt his feelings and I wasn't aware he was there." Hawkbit was trying to make up with Clover.

"But you did, Hawkbit. Tyler saw and looked up to as his father. But you abused that title by insulting him harmfully behind his back."

"Way a go, Hawkbit." I shook my head and said quietly. Although by now, Hawkbit knew that Cloverwas right. If he had just kept his mouth shut that night, probably Tyler would not have ran off in the first place.

"You're, Clover." Hawkbit admits as he sighed and than looked at Clover directly in her eyes. "I really was an idiot to say those words about Tyler. But I will promise you this, Clover... we will find Tyler and bring him back home safely."

Clover could see that by the look on his face that he really meant it from what he said.

"I promise." Hawkbit promised.

Clover nodded her head and lightly nuzzled him. "Just bring him home." she instructed him, before heading back into the warren. I'll do whatever it takes to help Hawkbit find Tyler and bring him home to lighten Clover again.

"The weather is the least of our worries, this time a year." Bigwig stated. "As _elil_ get hungry too."

We than heard a howl that sounded like a wolf. I even let out a howl, as if the moon is out. "A lone wolf howling at the moon." I said it because I liked wolves because they're really close to their pack, despite they may hunt for rabbits.

"Why are you howling like that?" Bigwig asked.

I came to noticed that everyone was staring at me. Next thing I'll probably could have done accidentally is attracting to a wolf.

"Sorry... I got carried away." I shrugged.

"Please don't do it again, unless you could do it quietly without attracting _elil_." Bigwig warned me.

"Suite yourself. I'm easy." I listened.

"Right, let's go." Hazel was ready. Kehaar started to take flight, as we followed him, the snow poured down faster as the storm warning has been passed.

"It's a cold Christmas Eve and _Frith's Eve_ to be away from home." I said to myself. I put on my headphones, as I started to listen to some music during the walk to sound suiting from being away from my family.

 _She'd trade Colorado if he'd take her with him_  
 _Closes the door before the winter lets the cold in,_  
 _And wonders if her love is strong enough to make him stay,_  
 _She's answered by the tail lights_  
 _Shining through the window pane_

 _He said I wanna see you again_  
 _But I'm stuck in colder weather_  
 _Maybe tomorrow will be better_  
 _Can I call you then_  
 _She said you're ramblin' man_  
 _You ain't ever gonna change_  
 _You gotta gypsy soul to blame_  
 _And you were born for leavin'_

 _At a truck stop diner just outside of Lincoln,_  
 _The night is black as the coffee he was drinkin',_  
 _And in the waitress' eyes he sees the same 'ol light shinin',_  
 _He thinks of Colorado_  
 _And the girl he left behind_

 _He said I wanna see you again_  
 _But I'm stuck in colder weather_  
 _Maybe tomorrow will be better_  
 _Can I call you then_  
 _She said you're ramblin' man_  
 _You ain't ever gonna change_  
 _You gotta gypsy soul to blame_  
 _And you were born for leavin'_

 _Born for leavin'_

 _Well it's a winding road_  
 _When your in the lost and found_  
 _You're a lover I'm a runner_  
 _We go 'round 'n 'round_  
 _And I love you but I leave you_  
 _I don't want you but I need you_  
 _You know it's you who calls me back here_

 _Oh I wanna see you again_  
 _But I'm stuck in colder weather_  
 _Maybe tomorrow will be better_  
 _Can I call you then_  
 _'Cause I'm a ramblin' man_  
 _I ain't ever gonna change_  
 _I gotta gypsy soul_  
 _And I was born for leavin' (born for leavin')_

 _When I close my eyes I see you_  
 _No matter where I am_  
 _I can smell your perfume through these whispering pines_  
 _I'm with your ghost again_  
 _It's a shame about the weather_  
 _I know soon we'll be together_  
 _And I can't wait 'til then_  
 _I can't wait 'til then_

 _To Be Continued..._


	59. Winter On Watership Down Part 2

Winter On Watership Down Part 2

 **Author's Note: To not confuse you guys, the episodes would be mashed into one big episode into different parts.**

When been going around the snow aimlessly, as we're trying to find the farm, but apparently we have no luck of finding it, because started to cover our tracks and the countryside is green-less from the snow that the trees are dead.

"Whoever heard of inviting moles and _shrews_ to _The Feast of Frith_ anyway?" Hawkbit questioned. "It's purely a rabbit celebration."

"Neither am I, but don't stop for the holidays celebrations. For you not observing Christmas and I'm not observing _Frith's Eve_. We're all part of a big celebration as guests." I told Hawkbit.

"Yes, even every animal knows when the days grow cold and longer." Hazel stated.

"Even the trees know." Fiver pointed out about the trees being dead without leaves and they're being covered in snow. "We all feel joy at the thought."

"Even pine trees, just picture it as a great Christmas tree." I added.

"Happiness shared is happiness doubled, don't you think Hawkbit?" Hazel asked, as we smiled happily at him.

Hawkbit began to mumble. "I suppose so. No need to get soppy about it though." He tried to make his hop, but slipped onto the snowy ground.

I chuckled. "What about Tyler? He would wanted to see happiness." I came over to pick Hawkbit up.

He started to think about his promise to Clover. "Yes... I suppose of it also."

"We should have crossed the _Pylon Line_ by now, shouldn't we?" Hazel thought, the rabbits looked at each other and shrugged, before looking at me.

"Don't look at me." I shook my head and shrugged. "I'm not navigator or a GPS."

The _Owsla_ chuckled from the joke.

"Everything looks different in the snow." Bigwig stated.

"It still looks very beautiful though. Where I come from, if you visited the mountains you'll get more snow there, than being at a lower elevation." I recalled about California.

"I think we're on the right track." Bigwig took lead.

"Wait a minute, Bigwig! We're not so certain if we are." I tried to stop him, but he dashed ahead that we had to catch up. I even looked up to see the clouds covering the skies that were once blue. "I just hope Kehaar is alright." I began to worry from the fact, Kehaar is above clouds and the wind current could be very strong that he could get knocked out of the air.

* * *

We finally made our way out of the snowy, treeless, woods to find an open field. The _Owsla_ still has no sign of the farm.

"Hmmm... we shouldn't seen the farm lights by now." Hazel grew a bit concerned.

"No kidding, Sherlock." I added.

"So we're lost than." Dandelion began to panic.

I gasped and started to sound like Stitch. "L-l-los- lost." I looked around. "Lost."

"Can you stop sounding like that, Andrew?" Bigwig asked.

"I'm lost." I impersonated Stitch with making a sad face.

"Oh that's perfect! That's just wonderful... THIS IS WONDERFULLL! Have a _Frith's Eve_ everyone, it's our last." Hawkbit exclaimed, before he slammed down on the snowy grass with ears down as always and nearly forever.

"Don't panic Hawkbit." Fiver tried to comfort him.

"I'll leave it up to you then! Should I Fiver?!" Hawkbit turned towards Fiver.

"Hey, nobody's panicking yet!" Bigwig declared.

"Well let us know when it's time then, won't you." Hawkbit spoke.

"Dandelion started it." I pointed at him, as he made a shocking face with his pointed up and his eyes nearly widened. We looked behind us to see our tracks are being filled up with snow.

"Can't very well follow our tracks back. They're gone." Bigwig stated.

"Maybe Kehaar can help." Hazel remembered about Kehaar.

"Unless he's stuck in a storm above us. One way to find out." I agreed.

"Kehaar! Where are you?" Hazel shouted for Kehaar. Everyone joined Hazel to shout for Kehaar.

"Scooby-Doo! Where are you?!" I shouted, although I intended to shout for Kehaar. They stared at me even Bigwig gave me a one eye-brow raised look, as I let out a bad smile.

"Andrew, just remind me when we get back and after _Frith's Eve_ is over. I'll give you a thrashing." Bigwig wanted me to remind him.

"Okay." I answered back.

We than saw Kehaar descended towards us and crashed landed on the snow.

"SAFE!" I let out an umpire signal when the batter reached his base before the baseman could tag him out.

"Bad sky up there." Kehaar said.

"Of course it is, if the wind is too strong up there for you. Are you alright?" I asked.

"Ya... Kehaar's fine." he assured me.

"We seemed to be a bit turned around Kehaar. Do you know where we are?" Bigwig asked.

Kehaar was about to let out a steam like a seagull back at the ocean's shoreline. "KEHAAR never lost! No matter what weather!"

"Yes that's why we asked." Hazel said.

"Despite of rain, sleep, wind and snow-"

"Oh... now you're pushing Kehaar!" Kehaar blurt out.

"Just a little." I calmed him down.

"Can you lead us back to Watership Down?" Hazel asked.

"What?! We're given up already of the _flayrah_ raid than?!" Bigwig questioned.

"We'll be lucky to make it home." Hazel realized that the weather is increasing to be severe to lose our way back. "What do you say?"

Kehaar shook his head. "I lead and you follow... on the ground." he let out a laugh, until he maintains his level in the air. "Okay, it's good!" For a moment, the winds grew strong that it hit Kehaar, as he started to spit out some snow particles from his beak, until he's ready. "Now we go!"

* * *

We followed Kehaar, until we reached an ice field that once was a stream or a small lake.

"Don't tell me this is a shortcut home." Hawkbit said to Kehaar.

I started to feel a bit unease, as I started to have a vision it may seem. I pictured Bigwig defending the _Owsla_ from a fox at the ice field. The ice began to crack and he fell into the freezing water. The fox started to take his advantage, as he's about to approach to him.

"Dont- don't- don't- be a fool. Get back!" Bigwig shivered weakly, as he's nearly frozen.

The vision faded, as I gasped quietly and felt like membrane in my head sores.

"Andrew, are you alright?" Fiver heard me, as he placed his paw on my back.

"I don't know. I felt like a had a vision or a premonition it looked like." I was still feeling a bit dizzy.

"A vision? Are you sure you're alright?" Fiver grew more concerned, as he held me still.

"It's nothing, Fiver. It's just we need to cautious that's all." I assured him.

Fiver nodded with the concern he still has.

"It's new to us, we're truly lost." Hazel admitted.

Fiver began to shiver like I had. Hazel turned to stand by his side, as I was next to them.

"Fiver? What do you see?" Hazel was concerned.

 _No way across without a loss. A loss!_ Fiver visioned. _A man visions his own version_ _._

After hearing it, I thought Fiver knew that I had a premonition that I decided to remain quiet.

"Wait!" Bigwig exclaimed.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Everyone get ready to move!"

"Why?" I asked and came out of no where a fox was wandering about for food even meat. It started to sniff possibly our scent.

"Across the river." Bigwig instructed us.

"No we mustn't." Fiver refused.

"Fiver's right." I stuttered. "We'll find another way to lose it."

"It's our best chance." Bigwig assured us.

The fox began to follow the scent, as it picked ours up.

"Fiver, you go first." Bigwig let Fiver go first, because he's the lightest. Fiver was unsure, because he knew something was going to happen if we crossed it. After looking back at the fox, he turned back to the frozen lake and decided to slide down the ice, making it there at ease. However, keeping ourselves quiet and hidden didn't last long, until the fox detects us, after finding the scent was ours.

"Go!" Hazel shouted.

"Meet me on the other side! Yes!" Kehaar shouted, as he flew, and the rest of us slid down the snow to land on the ice.

The rabbits made it there, safely, however for me. I didn't set foot on the ice field, because one I didn't have skates and also I would slip and fall while wearing snow boots.

"Andrew, get going!" Bigwig commanded me.

I shivered. "I can't I'll slip and slide. It's not safe for me."

"You're not close of being safe, you lay about! Get moving!" Bigwig shouted.

"I can't!" I screamed.

Bigwig sighed and turned towards the fox. "You mangy, flea-bit, excuse for a _pilata_! OVER THIS WAY!"

The fox snarled and growled at us. Bigwig watched over the rest of the rabbits making sure the rest of the rabbits making to the other side. As I got closed to him, I noticed the ice below him is starting to crack. The premonition was near of coming true, but I couldn't let that happen.

"BIGWIG, LOOK OUT!" I pushed him to the side across the icy field, as the ice cracks again, until I got to where he was, the ice broke and I fell in.

It was my first fall in the icy water. I felt like I was being pulled down to the water bed where I freeze and drowned, even I started to hear Adele _Skyfall_ opening lyrics and beat. It was about a minute that my body started to feel colder. I had to get out of the water, before I could freeze in seconds. I swam up only to find myself on a cracked ice. I started to realize I'm DREAMING! It can't be real! If I fall in a thin ice and took deep into the water, my body froze and it takes seconds for me to freeze and I die! Somehow... I lived! My hearing was muffled that I went temporarily deaf. Even I can't even hear the water's sound movement because of my ears frozen. My eye sight began to blur and my hands are nearly frozen to feel anything, even feeling the crack of ice without feeling a cut or pounding the ice.

"Help me please!" I screamed. "Please Jesus, please send someone to help and save! I don't want to die!"

I than saw a rabbit's foot and pounded on the ice. In seconds, it came out quickly to see Bigwig.

"Come on, my ol' son! Swim up!" I only saw his mouth movements.

I tried to swim up I got a little pull upwards. I than reached my hand out, he grabbed my hand from his mouth and he started to pull me, as I pull upwards. After those pulls I manged to the upper part of my body out of the water, although the water started to fill my mouth and I couldn't be able to close it.

I started to hear blurs and my eye sight got my blurry. "Please help me." I said weakly.

When I got myself pulled up I blacked out...

* * *

I opened my eyes slowly semi-conscious, I saw Bigwig was doing something on my chest, wasn't sure what he was doing. I couldn't speak as I was drowned with water in me. I closed my eyes again to see walking in clouds and started to see Heaven's Gates and Hell's Flames. I stopped there to wonder where I was to see an angel with "The Lamb's Book of Life". Before I could speak I was pulled down back on Earth and woke up coughing and regurgitating the lake's cold water from my stomach. I began to cough and my sight and hearing is back to normal for a moment, until I continued to freeze, as I started to blur vision again.

"Andrew, Thank _Frith_ and _Bless my Tail_! Are you alright?" Bigwig asked.

"C-c-c-c-c-cold. I just need to rest here." I shivered to the bones.

"Not here!" Hazel exclaimed.

I was being picked up by Hazel and Bigwig, as I walked slowly, because my feet is frozen from frostbite. I tried to slowly pick up one foot after another, without feeling anything down to my toes. "I need to rest... I'm... col-col-cold... plea-pleas-please."

"No! You got to keep moving!" Hazel refused.

"If you sleep now, you won't wake up." Bigwig added. "You'll be gone for good."

"Hazel and Bigwig, look at him, look at him, he's exhausted. Let him rest." Dandelion pointed out.

"Not while I'm around and there's no need to repeat what I said. Get moving, Andrew." Bigwig encouraged me to keep moving, as Fiver joined to help. "Don't give up and keep fighting for every breath you have my ol' son."

"Kehaar know about cold water." Kehaar came down. "Bigwig's right. Andrew got to move."

Soon after Hawkbit and Dandelion got over the shook and helped me as well.

"Come on, Andrew. Quick, quick. March!" Dandelion encouraged me to keep moving.

"My feet are frozen... tired... my body... is... frozen... like an Alaskan boy in colder weather Anchorage days." I spoke.

They chuckled. "Come on, my boy. We'll get where we needed to go and you'll be getting warm soon." Hazel said.

"Get going you lazy fat human-rabbit!" Kehaar encouraged me to get moving, as well making a good laugh, as I was wanting to run him down good.

"We'll get you someplace warm." Fiver assured me.

"I-I-I- the nex-nex-next ti-ti-ti-time we're dreaming. I'll-l-l-l-l-l take you to-to-to-to-to Anchorage to feel the-the-the-the-the- cold yourselves." I cursed.

"Keep going chum." Bigwig assured. "You'll get there soon, with me thanking you again and owning you my life twice."

The gathered around me to keep me warm, stable on my movement, as we continued to go through this colder weather storm. Hoping to find a place soon to rest.

 _To Be Continued..._


	60. Winter On Watership Down Part 3

Winter On Watership Down Part 3

 **Author's Note: I would like to thank heavily to Supernova2015 for his ideas in this episode. Stay Tuned for the next part. Feel free to write a review, on what you think about this episode and the series by far, I'll like to hear your thoughts and opinions. Thank You!**

Back in the warren, Pipkin was helping with the rest of the rabbits finishing their touches with greens and mistletoes. He looked at one of the mistletoes he put up and adjusted it to a correct position.

"There. _Frith's Promise_ what everyone can see it." Pipkin spoke. "How's that look, Blackberry?"

"Very lovely." she commented. "Maybe if a few spritz on the other one would be nice."

Pipkin hopped right to at, as he put more mistletoes and greens around another tunnel's entrance.

"Howdy hoo! Anybody home?" a voice came from the entrance of the Honeycomb that was covered by a ball of straw. Primrose set the straw ball aside to see who it was and entered Yona the hedgehog, as she shook the snow off of her. "Oh awfully, nippy out here. The feast started yet."

"Not yet, Yona, but come in. Welcome to our home." Primrose greeted.

"Didn't want to miss a moment. Never been to a feast before." Yona said, as she wanders around the warren. "Oh... nice home."

Primrose chuckled quietly and whispered to Blackberry. "I think she's the type who's the first to come and last to leave."

She walked over to two rabbits, who were sleeping probably wanderer rabbits, greeted herself. However, the rabbits went back to sleep. Yona jumped in between both of the rabbits and woke up from being poked from Yona's quills, as she snuggled in comfortably and went fast asleep.

* * *

After my unfortunate fall from the icy pond, I was being escorted by Hazel and his _Owsla_ to keep me moving and preventing myself to fall. About ten minutes into our journey, we than approached to a gate and beyond is a manor. The rabbits become curious about the gated fence.

"I never seen a fence like this one." Fiver spoke.

"Neither of I." Hazel added.

"So we're not getting any more un-lost are." Hawkbit thought.

"It seems like we could be able to fit through there fine." Bigwig said.

I looked up at the gate and started to blur and vision of Heaven's Gates. "I see it..."

"See what, Andrew?" Bigwig asked.

"Heaven's Gates... but no angel there..." I hallucinated, before I fall into the snow.

"Andrew!" they hopped to me, as I still conscious, but losing grip between the living and the dead. Hazel hopped through the fence and noticed that the trees are the only way to keep myself warm.

"Into the trees, we've got to find shelter for Andrew." Hazel commanded.

"Don't forget... we need to find a place to... find food." I tried to remain them, but I was too tired and weak to speak louder.

"Come on, my ol' son. Hop to it." Hawkbit picked me back up.

I was gently held close, as I got through the gate, as I dropped my bag first, so I could fit in of course. They manged to find dry grass underneath a pine tree.

"Get him in here, it's dry and it's out of the wind." Hazel spoke.

I was being walked to underneath a pine tree.

"Go on, lie here." Hazel instructed me.

"What about you guys?" I shivered in cold.

"Just do it, Andrew." Hazel ordered.

I nodded slowly and got underneath the tree and lie on the dry land on my side.

"Huddle around him and keep him warm." Bigwig huddled on top of me, as everyone else huddled next to me.

We than saw Kehaar fly down here. "How Andrew doing?"

"He's a fighter, like every 'man' does." Hazel answered. "Any luck of finding out where we are?"

Kehaar shook his head. "Kehaar, stupid gull! Lost!"

"No-no-no you're not." I said.

"Don't speak lad." Bigwig smoothly told me, as his mane kept me warm.

"Anyone could get lost in this snow storm Kehaar." Hazel said.

Kehaar thought of an idea. "Go look for stars! Stars always point the way."

"Kehaar..." I tried to get to his attention. The two walked towards me.

"What it is?" Kehaar asked.

"Look for 'The Star... of Bethlehem'." I instructed him.

"Kehaar don't know a star called 'Bethlehem'." Kehaar said. "There's many stars."

"Also, there are no stars." Hazel pointed out.

"There is..." I said weakly. "One star in the night... just like The Three Wise Men... and the shepherds followed the star to Bethlehem. Just find that one star and have faith, it'll help you find your way home."

"Andrew, there many stars and it'll be a miracle to find that one star." Hazel said.

"Always stars, above clouds. High, high!" Kehaar exclaimed. "Kehaar look and come back little home. Be back soon!" he took off to fly towards the clouds above. After a few minutes after Kehaar left, everything was silent, except the ambiance sounds of winter snow.

"It's so quiet... and peacefully." I said. "If I was still living in Anchorage throughout my whole life, I'll prefer to be... in the cold."

Hazel chuckled. "What made you leave there?"

"It's my parents' decision, we all decided to move out." I said.

"About 'The Star of Bethlehem', I never heard a world or a star called that. Perhaps when we return home, you could share us that story." Hazel wanted to know more about 'The Star of Bethlehem' or The Christmas Star.

I smiled weakly. "I love you guys, very much."

My eyes started to close, but after feeling a nuzzle and my head raised up from Hazel. "Don't speak like this! Don't you dare say 'goodbye'! Not until you found your way home, do you understand?"

"I feel so weak that the cold has taken over." I said.

Hazel placed his paw on my head. "Listen to me very close. You're going to find your way home. When you returned to your world, You're going to live on like every human should, you'll meet a wonderful mate and you two will getting married. Than you're going to have your own kittens like _El-ahrairah_ and myself."

I chuckled, as I wasn't sure if I would have that many children, if I did get married.

"You'll watch them grow to be kind-hearted people like their father. Later in life, you'll become old and you'll die on your own warm and comfortable bed." Hazel continued. "But you're not going to die out here, on your Christmas Eve! Not ever! Do you understand me?"

Hazel grabbed onto my frozen hands. "You coming here on purpose or not, was the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to all of us. Even in your world you got bonked on a branch." I chuckled from that moment on how I came here.

"Here's a promise, I wanted you to make for all of us, from the warren of Watership Down. Do this in our honor, if something happens to our home, or happens everyone, and/or even me: You will never give up. No matter what happens to us, don't break that promise." Hazel wanted me to promise.

"I'll never let go Hazel... I'll never let go of that promise." I promised.

Hazel warmly smiled.

"That's the spirit of an _Owsla_ , mate." Bigwig overheard us and agreed that I made that promise.

* * *

I wasn't sure what happened next, but I fell asleep and started to dream that we been here for hours, as they kept me warm. I was starting to have snowy ice particles on my face and hair. I looked at the clouds to see it was starting to clear with stars brightening as I was at sea drifting on a plank. For some odd reason, I wasn't sure why, but I started to _Come Josephine_ , _In My Flying Machine_ like Rose in the movie _Titanic_ , as she's on the raft and being saved by Jack. I than started to hear disoriented laughter, as I saw a sled slowly passing us back in slow speed.

"Guys. There's a sleigh." I tried to wake them up, but they were like asleep.

"Hazel." I tried to shake Hazel, but his eyes were closed like a statue. I than looked at Bigwig and the others, as they too are in a statue state. "Bigwig, Hawkbit, Fiver?"

I was becoming scared that they're frozen as ice, as they saved me. "Guys. Guys! There's a sleigh!" I started to sob into tears. I continued desperately to wake them up again and again, until it was inevitable that I continued to cry and shout weakly out of desperation to get help and no help came.

* * *

"Andrew, wake up!"

I woke up to hear Bigwig's voice. "You're not giving up on us now! Don't sleep."

"I'm sorry..." I apologized. "I thought you guys were gone... an-and I would be alone."

"Never." Fiver stated with a smile.

"Not after you been through enough." Hawkbit stated.

We started to hear a horse neigh and what I started to hear bells... sleigh bells.

"What's that Hazel?" Fiver asked.

"I think it's a sleigh with bells." I answered while shivering from the frozen temperatures, as I'm still getting warm, but I was still wet and damp.

"Stay here." Hazel instructed us. "I'll find out."

Hazel went over by the gates to see what it was, until sleigh bells were close. "Hazel, look out!" I shouted weakly.

He got back to see a horse pulling a sleigh and apparently saw two humans on the sleigh, as it was taking them to the manor.

"Fiver, everyone!" Hazel exclaimed. "Come here!"

We all got up, as they waited for me while I slowly got up as a bit of strength was coming back and we walked slowly towards Hazel.

"Man just went through here." Hazel stated.

"Ah, Ah, when there's man, there's food!" Dandelion exclaimed. "Maybe, maybe shorter!"

"Food... a fireplace!" I realized inside could be a warm fireplace where I could get warm in time that went ahead and tried to run, but it didn't last long until I tripped and fell onto the snow. I was than picked up, by Hazel and Bigwig.

"Don't try to be too hasty." Hazel chuckled. "We needed to be careful."

"Where ever there's man, there's danger." Fiver feared.

"We have to dare it, 'Who Dares Wins'. For Andrew's sake." Bigwig quoted.

"If you guys into that much trouble with people and quoting that quote... I'll get you guys enlisted to the Special Air Services." I chuckled weakly.

"We don't need you to get into trouble." Hawkbit rubbed my head with his paw.

"Now we could do that all on our own!" Dandelion exclaimed.

"Following these tracks is a lot easier than plowing through the deep snow." Hawkbit added, as he tabbed his feet on the snow. With a thought of clowning on him, I lifted one of my frozen foot and had him tripped on the snow tracks. "Oh... looks like someone is wanting to play dirty." he joked, as I couldn't help to laugh, until I coughed.

"Then Let's go." Hazel ordered to move out.

"What about Kehaar? He won't know where to find us." Dandelion asked.

"Kehaar could take care of himself. Andrew is the main concern right now." Hazel pointed out, as we are heading our way to the manor.

"Did I already mentioned... that an Alaskan boy myself has never fell into a freezing icy pond, until coming to the English countryside in the Winter and managed to pull myself together like... I was in Anchorage." I tried to have them recall.

"That's the spirit!" Fiver complimented.

"Hear, hear!" Bigwig agreed.

"Some _Frith's Eve_ it has turned out to be." Hawkbit said.

"And Christmas Eve in my matter." I added.

"Perhaps on the next _Feast of Frith_ , and also your 'Christmas' Andrew, we'll be telling everyone telling the story of this one." Bigwig suggested for next years plan.

"If I go back, I'll be glad to tell them about this year's Christmas." I agreed.

"Ah yes, the story of... La la, Andrew the iceman." Dandelion called it.

"Maybe Andrew the Alaskan Man, rather than iceman." I meant to correct Dandelion, as I thought of a gag in _Family Guy_ about iceman.

When we're close to the manor, it was big unlike any resident home I have ever seen. The rabbits think it was a new world, as the manor was fully brightened with it's lights.

"It's like the stars have come down from the sky." Fiver called it.

"Well let's see if the stars are worn." Hazel stated, as we began to head our way to the manor. After climbing up the stairs, we finally arrived at the manor's doorstep, but it was closed and locked. We than had to peek through the window to see the people were with each other mingling, eating, exchanging gifts, and admiring the Christmas Tree.

"What's this?" Hazel looked and sniffed at the bulb.

"It's Christmas lights, we used them to decorate outside the house and a Christmas tree." I told him.

Hazel was about to touch, but Fiver stopped him. "Please don't Hazel, it's dangerous." he worried.

"Don't worry Fiver, their harmless unless it was broken and burnt out." I assured him.

Hazel touched the Christmas light bulb and we heard a ding. "Interesting."

We than looked back at the window and continued to watch the people continuing to celebrate Christmas Eve. Dandelion sniffed at the window, as he seen the sight of different foods and _flayrah_ on top of a table.

"Have you seen anything like it?" Dandelion asked us.

"Never." Fiver answered.

We than saw the fireplace. I started rubble in my stomach from the sight of the food and continued to shiver from the cold, as I wanted to be in my night clothes and sit next to the fireplace to get warm. We than looked at the Christmas tree fully decorated with ornaments, lights, and a Christmas angel on top of it.

"They got a whole pine tree." Fiver added.

"Fantastic." I admire their Christmas Tree. "Luckily, they don't have fake plastic trees or artificial trees. I bet they ended up buying one or they must have cut one down themselves."

"I still wonder why." Fiver continued to wonder.

"Every year in Christmas, everyone has a Christmas tree and we decorate."

"That's why 'man' does anything." Bigwig said.

"It's tradition." I said. "Even I do it with my family every year."

"If they wanted to look at the tree, do you think they'd stand in the woods?" Hawkbit questioned, as the people clapped in cheers after a violin was played by a violinist.

"No they wanted to look at the tree to how beautiful it is. You could even turn off the whole lights in a house to admire it." I answered.

"Hello." we heard a voice coming from behind us to see a rabbit standing there. "I'm Buttercup. Who are you?"

Hazel stepped forward and wondered if she's a friend or foe. "I'm Hazel and these are my friends."

"Aren't you cold? You look cold." she asked.

"Yeah... next... thing I wanted to do is get inside this manor and sit next to a fireplace." I answered.

Buttercup looked at me and gasped. "A human with rabbits?"

I looked around, before looking back at her. "You don't see six rabbits here don't you?"

"No, of course. It's that I never seen a human in your size traveling with rabbits." she came towards. Hazel wasn't sure, even Bigwig was ready to be on guard. I assured them, that she just wanted to look at me. She notices that I have a human face, with ten fingers and two feet.

" _Bless my Tail!_ " she praised and she grew concerned. "You need somewhere to get warm, you shouldn't be out here in a time like this, even the rest of you. It's _Frith's Eve_."

"We know and we're cold, mostly Andrew, but we got no where to go." Hazel said.

"Every rabbit should be in a warm burrow, tonight of all nights." Buttercup smiled, as she's full of _Frith's Eve_ spirit. "You'll stay with me. Come on."

"Maybe our luck has turned for the better." Hazel said to us, as we watched Buttercup started to show us her way to her burrow.

"It couldn't get much worst." Hawkbit added.

"Of course it could. So stop tempting that _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_ would you?" Bigwig said. "We don't know if she's the enemy."

"She doesn't look like a threat, she's showing hospitality." I said.

Hazel and others started to follow her. As Bigwig and I were following them, I looked back to see the people were singing _Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas_.

After feeling sadden from hearing their laughter of Christmas joy I felt a bit sadden that I wasn't with my family.

"I should've been with my family this year. It's been two years in a row. I never got them anything for those years and I haven't be able to wish them a Merry Christmas."

"Hear now lad, you'll be back into your own world sooner or later. Just keep your faith and your spirits high." Bigwig comforted and encouraged me.

"It's hard to keep them if you're away from family at this time of year." I sadly putted it.

"Come on, as soon we followed this Buttercup, you'll be warmed up, before you know it." Bigwig said, as gently slapped me on the back to keep myself going. Even though he was still unsure if we could trust Buttercup or not.

* * *

Back in at Watership Down, more animals from the down started to come to the warren of Watership Down: squirrels, another hedgehog, moles, _shrews_ , even some mice, even a bat.

"So Clover, why don't you tell us about how you met Tyler?" Hannah suggested.

"I don't know... it's just me telling about him makes me miss him dreadfully." Clover was unsure.

"Just picture he was here, like you're telling him a story, before he goes to bed." Blackberry said.

The rest of the animals insisted she should. Clover gently sighs and started to picture Tyler being here beside her.

"Okay... _it was a normal day on Nuthanger_ _Farm_." She started.

" _I was_ _along with her my other following rabbits were sitting in their cage, as usual everyday being fed carrots and other flayrah._ _On that day, suddenly, a farmer came into the shed, carrying a small cage with him. We thought it might be another rabbit. When he opens both cages and places a new rabbit into their cage. I looked over to see it was... a little baby rabbit (kitten), black like ebony. Everyone went on, as I continued to watch him. I came to notice that the new rabbit carried weird things on him that I haven't seen before. Yet one way or another, we got to know each other._

 _"Well hello there." I greeted._

 _"Oh hello." the new rabbit spoke._

 _"If I don't mind asking, what's that you're carrying?" I asked._

 _"It's my Zune HD, it's a device that I listen to music. I also have a vest that I could carry it where I go." he answered._

 _"Oh... Are you alone?" she asked._

 _"Yep, I have been alone for awhile now. Not after I had a run in with another warren, but I escaped after I was brought in. Until I came across a farmer that trapped in me this cage." he explained._

 _"You'll get used it. I've been here throughout my life." I assured him._

 _"Is it horrible to be in a cage?" he asked._

 _At that time I wasn't sure what it was to be out of the cage. "I don't know, I haven't been out of the cage at all."_

 _"Well I'll introduce myself, my name is Tyler Damien." he introduced himself._

 _"My name is Clover. How do you do?" I greeted myself._

 _"Very well thank you." he smiled._

 _Days pass after getting to know him, we got along very well. One night, when we're about to sleep, Tyler entrusted me to tell me about his origins._

 _"Clover, I must tell you something important." Tyler said._

 _"Of course, anything." I said._

 _"I haven't been a rabbit throughout my life. I was a human boy." Tyler told me._

 _"What do you mean? You look like a rabbit." I didn't understand._

 _"I'm a rabbit, yes. However, I was living in an orphanage in New York City." he started to tell me._

 _"New York City?" I questioned._

 _"It's a city in the state of New York which it is in The United States of America. Since way back when, I was an orphan and I was been looked after by the orphanage."_

 _"Oh dear..." I was starting to feel heartbroken. "I'm sorry."_

 _"It's not bad. I get to travel around the world some times with my guardians at the orphanage. One day, when I was crossing a street after saving a rabbit..."_

 _"Saving a rabbit?" I asked._

 _"Yes I saved a rabbit from a snare. Surprisingly, the rabbit almost looked like you." he told me. "After saving the rabbit, I was struck by a cab and I was dead. I than met Frith and The Black Rabbit of Inle' and they restored me back to life, as a rabbit, before I was taken to another warren called Efrafa and eventually being brought here." he finished his story._

 _Still heartbroken from Tyler growing up as an orphan most of his life. That was when I decided an idea. I decided to take care of Tyler from now on. And so, around a season, and Tyler and I got along very well. So well, that one special night as we went to bed._

 _"Goodnight Mom." Tyler yawned and snuggled next to me._

 _I felt a sense of both joy and sadness that night, that I huddled against Tyler, and fell asleep beside him. Afterwards, we were been Mother and Son ever since, even when we're being rescued by Hazel and his rabbits, another human also._

Everyone was amazed from the way Clover told her story about how she met Tyler and bonded to a Mother and Son relationship.

"Well told Clover." Blackberry complimented.

"Yes, a well told and a wonderful story." Primrose agreed.

"Thank you." Clover thanked them.

The three looked around to see all of the animals were gathered at the Honeycomb mingling with each other.

"I looks like the whole countryside turned out." Blackberry spoke. "I don't see how Hazel and the others possibly find enough food for everyone."

"They should have been back by now." Primrose started to feel worried.

Clover knew that she's worried about them not coming back, especially Tyler. She than remembered what Hawkbit promised her that they'll find Tyler and bring him back. "I'm sure they'll be back. Even Tyler would be back with them."

"I know they will." Blackberry agreed and commended Clover about keeping up with her spirits.

Pipkin came and told them about Flitters, a bat who came to attend _The Feast of Frith_ , and what bats do at night, hunting for bugs. After Pipkin went off, as he was cheerful, Primrose became worried about Hazel, as she looked at the storm outside.

"Try not to worry Primrose, they'll come home safe." Clover comforted Primrose.

Blackberry smiled, as Clover tried to cheer Primrose, as she kept her faith, as they looked outside to see the stormy winter snow began to blow harder, as it was about to cover the whole Earth...

 _To Be Continued..._


	61. Winter On Watership Down Part 4

Winter On Watership Down Part 4

 **Author's Note: I would like to thank heavily to Supernova2015 for his ideas in this episode. Stay Tuned for the next part. Feel free to write a review, on what you think about this episode and the series by far, I'll like to hear your thoughts and opinions. Thank You!**

We followed Buttercup to what I noticed it was an entrance to a maze. It seemed that she was familiar with it, as Hazel and the _Owsla_... well let's say they thought it was a strange hedge to see.

"This is a funny sort of place." Hazel said.

"Yeah... a-a-a sigh-gh-ght-t-t for your sore eyes." I said, before I sneezed.

"It must seem like that. Stay close, if you don't know your way it's easy to get lost in the maze." Buttercup smiled, as she started her way into the maze.

"What's a maze?" Fiver asked.

"A maze is a puzzle with different paths and hedges." I answered.

She turned back. "And a place that's easy to get lost in." she added.

"Well that really close things up." Hawkbit said. As everyone else ahead, Hazel stopped as the two of us heard Kehaar soaring above us, as he's probably searching for us.

"Kehaar, down here!" Hazel and the _Owsla_ tried to get Kehaar's attention, but he flew away that he probably didn't hear us at all. Hazel sighed disappointingly. "It's no good."

"No good?! How do we find our way without him?" Dandelion questioned.

"Who are you calling to?" Buttercup asked.

"A friend." Fiver answered.

"One we might never seen again." Hawkbit hopelessly putted it.

"We'll see him... again." I tried to keep up the spirits, despite we're away from home and from someone who knows the way. "After we get ourselves adjusted, we could go out and find him."

Hazel noticed the weather might be getting worst. "Perhaps, we'll have to stay here until it clears."

"Come on, you all don't want to be frozen rabbits, do you?" Buttercup said, as she continued to lead our way to her warren.

We started to follow through the maze and hopped that one of the rabbits would turn out to be Jack Torrance and wielding an ax to come after me or anyone. However, since Buttercup knew the way, we managed to arrive at the center of the maze at ease and when we got there, I saw a great big Christmas tree that the humans must have decorate it for the outside. The lights aren't on, but the ornaments are still and additional decoration was the nature's snow covering the tree.

"Here we are, home." Buttercup said, before she went through underneath the Christmas tree.

"A warren under a Christmas tree... that's class." I said.

"I don't know if I like this place, Hazel." Fiver felt suspicious. "It's so unnatural."

"Gives me a funny feeling as well." Hazel agreed.

The cold started to get back to me, as I resume shivering.

"But we got to get Andrew somewhere warm." Bigwig said.

"How about a fireplace or a campfire well do." I shivered from the cold.

"Well? Do you like it out here in the cold?" Buttercup questioned us, as we stopped following her.

"For me yes... my friends not really." I smiled. "You see I come from Alaska where I liked the cold a bit."

"Alaska?" she questioned.

"It's a state, where I was born and lived there for a short years." I explained.

"We're just coming." Hazel notified Buttercup that we're about to follow her to her warren.

When we got to underneath the Christmas tree, Hazel entered first, as we followed soon after. After we got in, the warren looked a little big, but not bigger than it is compared to Watership Down. The rabbits saw us coming in and wondered who we are. Even at one point, I did saw a rabbit, who was in black. I couldn't be able to get my mind straight to see if it was Tyler, but I started to feel dizzy that I was about to faint. Thankfully, Hazel caught my fall.

"Maybe perhaps you wouldn't mind a bit of a lie down." Bigwig spoke to me.

"I think you're right on that." I said.

"You could rest there over, my dear." Buttercup showed me a bed of greens. Before I wanted to lie down there, I still feel damp from the clothes that I wore, after my fall on the ice.

"Perhaps, is there a small burrow that I could change my clothing for quick seconds?" I asked to use a private place to change.

Buttercup wasn't sure, until Hazel explained to her. "Oh, why yes, just a burrow to your left after you entered the tunnel."

"Thank you for showing hospitality in a colder weather like this." I was grateful to her.

"Not at all." she said. "Poor dear."

I was heading my to the burrow, I stopped and looked behind to see Bigwig, Hawkbit, and Dandelion were following me. "What are you doing?"

"Making sure you don't have another fall, before you're getting warm." Bigwig answered.

"Great, but I just need a little private space, until I come out, if you don't mind." I said. "Until I get something to wear comfortable and dry."

Hawkbit and Dandelion were confused, until Bigwig understood what I meant. "Yes... yes right of course."

They stood guard near the burrow, as I changed into my night clothes, apparently it was my _A Christmas Story_ pajamas saying "Oh Fudge!" with a long pajama pants. I even pulled out a blanket that I always kept with me in case I had to sleep. I wrapped it around me to keep myself warm. I exited out of the burrow, as I followed Bigwig, Hawkbit, and Dandelion back to the bed where Buttercup showed me where to rest. I set my blanket on the bed to add the extra comfort, as I lie down I couldn't help to notice the three staring my shirt.

"'Oh fudge'?" Bigwig read in question, like he didn't get.

" _A Christmas Story_ joke." I answered, as they still didn't get it. "Don't ask."

"Fair enough, off you go." Bigwig instructed me to get on the bed. Although I was in my warm pajamas and wearing new long socks, I was still cold.

"Huddle him, Andrew can use all the warmth he could get." Bigwig ordered Hawkbit and Dandelion, as he got on top of me.

Hawkbit and Dandelion huddle on my sides, I came to notice Hawkbit started to shiver.

"You're starting to feel like an icicle." Hawkbit said.

"I'm sorry if I feel very cold this way." I apologized to Hawkbit.

"Don't blame yourself mate." Bigwig said, as his mane started to warmth me. "Thank you for saving my life again."

"Why are you on top of me? You'll get your mane frozen." I pointed out.

"Ah! You saved my life twice and I have to repay you." Bigwig warmly smiled. "Especially, you performed your 'CPR', I thought I had to as well, after pulling you out."

I smiled, as I started to fall asleep from being warm. "Thank you."

"Just rest, my ol' son. We'll have a long journey after you're all better." Bigwig said.

* * *

Back at Watership Down, it's been awhile that they're still waiting for the feast to begin. Clover started to have a bad feeling that Hawkbit and the _Owsla_ haven't came back, even with Tyler. Pipkin and Gilia came up to Blackberry, Primrose, and Clover.

"The squirrels wanted to know when the feast start, they're hungry." Pipkin said.

"Squirrels are always hungry." Primrose smiled.

Clover sighed a worrying sigh. The four noticed that Clover started to lose her spirits, even Pipkin started to think about Hazel and the _Owsla_.

"Hazel, Bigwig, and the others aren't back yet, are they?" Pipkin asked.

"No... they haven't yet. I not even sure, if Tyler would be back as well." Clover sadly putted.

"Not yet, but they will be." Blackberry tried to cheer Clover, while trying to keep Pipkin's spirits up.

"They're alright aren't they? I mean they'll be home soon won't they?" Pipkin asked.

Until then, they heard someone crying and entered Kehaar cleaning himself from his tears, as he didn't want to show them. "All gone!"

"Kehaar what's wrong?" Primrose asked.

"Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig, Andrew, and everybody's not coming back." Kehaar announced.

Clover started to sob into tears and Gilia started to comfort her, as they heard the shock.

"I leave them to go up, up above clouds to find a way home. Then I come back down... Hazel and everybody's gone!" Kehaar explained.

"Gone?! Where?" Pipkin asked.

"Kehaar looked everywhere. No tracks... just... just... fox." Kehaar finished.

"No." Primrose and Clover were shocked from the news.

Kehaar started to cry loudly that almost everyone started to hear his cries. Clover felt heartbroken that Hawkbit's promise is broken, if he hasn't come back with Tyler.

"Tyler's gone! He's gone for good, oh _Frith_ forgive me!" Clover teared up more than before.

Pipkin and Gilia, were about to be in tears, as it would be their "Blue _Frith's Eve_ ". "They're not gone!" Pipkin held back. "Hazel and the others will come back! It's _Frith's Eve_ , they have to come home."

Gilia nodded. "They will come back!" she agreed with Pipkin. "We'll have to believe that they're here, just like Andrew said."

"What do you mean, Gilia?" Primrose asked her daughter.

"Andrew told me if someone is gone, we'll have to imagine that they're here, although they're not here. In spirit, they're." Gilia answered. "For Father hasn't come back, we have to think he's here in our hearts. As too for Uncles Fiver, Bigwig, Andrew, and Dandelion in our hearts also." she than looked at Clover. "Also for Uncle Hawkbit in our hearts too, Aunt Clover. Even Tyler also." she felt deep when she thought about Tyler, whom she's close to as a friend.

"They're here in our hearts, however we have to believe they will come back." Pipkin agreed and pointed out. "Until then, they'll be with us in our hearts and spirits."

* * *

I woke up to see Bigwig, Hawkbit, and Dandelion are gone. I'm now fully awake and warm than ever, as I stretched my arms high and almost being at the tip of my toes. After stretching and saw a carrot and lettuce that I started to chow on it, I noticed that Fiver was looking at the mistletoe and turned towards me.

"Feeling better, Andrew?" Fiver asked.

"Much better, as the cold went away." I smiled. "Thanks for asking."

"Your welcome." he smiled weakly.

I noticed that he was a little fray. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I suppose so." he answered, as he shivered.

"You don't seem alright, you didn't get cold from me didn't know?" I was worried that he huddle next to me, while I was asleep and possibly still cold. I didn't want to him to get a cold.

"No that's it. The warren is different, but..." he continued.

"Fiver, we're going out, I want you to stay here with Andrew." Hazel came and instructed Fiver.

"Hazel, your little brother is shivering, possibly a vision." I grew concerned about Fiver.

"What is it?" Hazel asked his little brother.

"Maybe it's just that we're so close to 'man' here, but there's danger nearby..." Fiver's ears dropped and stared upwards. _Straight path too close... Dart rabbit dart! Elil springs from where you start!_ Fiver visioned.

Hazel looked back towards Buttercup and rabbits next to her. "We'll be extra careful, Fiver." Hazel told him.

"Having second thoughts about Buttercup?" Bigwig questioned Hazel.

"Just wondering, if these rabbits aren't a little too good to be true." Hazel answered. "Stay alert we won't be long."

Hazel and the _Owsla_ followed Buttercup outside, while Fiver and I stayed behind.

"I don't get this one. ' _Elil springs from where you start_ '." I was confused.

"Maybe _elil_ is near or maybe Buttercup and her rabbits, because they live near to 'man'. No offense." Fiver worried.

"None taken, however I don't think our enemies are the rabbits that we're given shelter." I said.

"Still remember Cowslip's?" Fiver asked. "He gave us shelter and we found out it's a death trap."

"True, but..." I looked around to see other rabbits mingling in good cheers of their holiday. "They don't seem very threatening and they maintain your guys tradition of _Frith's Eve_. I doubt Cowslip would do the same though." I pointed out.

Fiver nodded. "Still I don't like it one bit."

I didn't know what else to say, but it's best to be in the moderate or lean towards agreeing with Fiver in every way I could. "What do you think, they're doing back in our warren?"

"I beg your pardon?" Fiver asked.

"Well since we been out and about since probably it was the late afternoon, and the night may have already came. Do you think they cancelled it?" I changed topics from about Buttercup and her warren to our own _Feast of Frith_ Celebration.

"I don't know, but I hoped they didn't and they come with something to keep the celebration going." Fiver answered. "How do you handle it?"

"Remember what I said in the morning of Christmas Eve... and _Frith's Eve_ that I told Gilia to think about us being there. I just hoped they did it." I hoped.

"You ever had a _Frith's Eve_... I meant Christmas Eve without someone you know?" Fiver asked, as he corrected himself.

"Yes, years back since my brother had been deployed one or two years when he was at another country. The last time was with my stepfather when he was also deployed also to another country. They served the military and when they leave, it's heartbreaking to see them out of the picture, but in our hearts and carrying on with the traditions we do, they're here." I answered. "I even remembered giving them presents too, as to think they're here and they'll be able to receive from me."

"Maybe they will keep their spirits high! Just until we get back." Fiver maintained his spirit.

"Yeah, but without my family though is different." I sadly stated, because when Christmas time came, it was important for me to be with my family at this time of year. "We do traditions like going to see Christmas lights at other people's houses, while eating dinner. In Christmas morning, after the presents of course, we watched Christmas movies. I love to watch Christmas movies around Christmas time."

"What kind?" he asked.

"My all time favorite of course is _A Christmas Story._ I even get pajamas wearing _A Christmas Story_ shirt." I answered, as I revealed my shirt.

"'Oh fudge'? What's that?" Fiver didn't get it.

I chuckled. "In one of the scenes the main character Ralphie accidentally cursed saying the f-word, although we heard 'Ohhhhhhh fuddddggggeeeee.'" I even impersonated Ralphie when he accidentally cursed, of course saying "fudge". "In the end, as you could see in this shirt, he gets a bar of soap in his mouth."

Fiver chuckled. "'Man' does come up with unusual jokes."

"In real sense we do." I said, as I went back to feeling down. "However since I got here, I haven't even watched a single one this year, since I've been away from my family."

"You're with us and we're like family to you. Just imagine, like you said, that your family is here. One day, you'll be able to see them and hear their voices again." Fiver told me with a warm smile to have me be optimistic.

I smiled and nodded. "Yes... yes you're right." I sighed, as I didn't keep my Christmas spirit this year... and _Frith's Eve_... I'll get back to keeping my spirits high."

"I know you will." Fiver knows.

We than saw Hazel and the _Owsla_ coming back from outside and Buttercup wasn't with them.

"You guys are back early." I wondered why they came back and they look spooked.

"Your feeling is right, Fiver." Hazel said, as he became stern.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"These rabbits surrendered to 'man'." Hazel answered.

"What do you mean? They don't look like Cowslip's Warren one bit." I protested.

"But the maze was made by 'man'." Hawkbit pointed out.

"All the _flayrah_ comes from 'man'!" Dandelion added.

"And snares could be everywhere!" Bigwig exclaimed.

"I'm sure there hasn't been snares around the maze. I even looked myself, not a single one." I disagreed.

"I'm sorry, but we can't fathom about 'man' or any rabbit that lives near to man." Bigwig sparked.

"Buttercup and her warren is a reputable. They treated us fair and very hospitable."

"I know, Andrew. It's a fervor feeling that we don't trust them." Hazel exclaimed.

"'At a sight of a man, run as fast as you can.'" Bigwig quoted, possibly from a Lapine proverb.

"Andrew's right, however there is danger. Not from these rabbits nor man." Fiver shivered.

"'Man' destroyed Sandleford, our old warren!" Bigwig remained Fiver.

"Humans destroyed the warren? When you first blamed 'man', then you have the audacity to point the finger at me after finding Captain Holly alive!" I exclaimed.

"Oh you say that people are instructed to kill all rabbits burying them." Bigwig put it.

"It's not that we're instructed to or forced to! As well as not pulling the trigger, we were given task, without forcing it down to someone's throat." I stated, as people perhaps are tasked to clear areas for homes and stores.

"Either way, it nearly killed us all!"

I was about ready to give him a big lesson, but I was restrained from Hawkbit and Dandelion.

"We all know what happened, but-"

"You were at The Warren of Shining Wires, those rabbits surrendered to man! We almost lost Bigwig, because of them!" Hazel interrupted Fiver, as he was trying to explain.

"For all I know is what I see." Fiver stated.

I started to breath deeper from possible that it may be hurtful to me. I continued to hear Hazel discuss and even planning of escape from the warren to take the _flayrah_ they can with them.

"ENOUGH!" I all gasped. "I'm sorry, it's going back to when I first came here. You guys fear humans, I get that, but you can't always assume every human wants to hurt you."

I started to breath deeper from possible that it was hurtful to me and taking an advantage of Fiver of thinking differently. I than started to hear Hazel discuss and even planning of escape from the warren to take the _flayrah_ they can with them.

"Lovely plan, but there's one small flaw." Hawkbit declared.

"We... don't know where home is." Dandelion reminded them that we're still lost.

"We're better off lost. At least we'll be away from 'man." Hazel said. "Andrew, we'll need your help to gather the _flayrah_ -"

"DAMN-NABBIT JUST ME LEAVE OUT OF THIS!" I shouted and unrestrained myself from shoving Hawkbit and Dandelion, as they all gasped and I ran fast deep into the warren to stay away from their rhetoric. I looked back to see them following after me. The run didn't last long, until I fell and pounced by Fiver.

"It's alright." he whispered. "It's alright." He repeated, as the others came towards us.

"It's not alright!" I gently shoved him away, as I was taking deep breaths, even rejecting Hazel's paw. "I'm sorry, it's going back to when I first came here. You guys fear humans! I get that, but you can't always assume every human wants to hurt you!" I turned towards Fiver. "Like he said, until you guys shut him out, 'for all I know is what I see'. You don't know what will happen, it could be _Efrafa_ deciding to follow us, or even predators! I get you guys lost your homes, I know what it's like to hear about pain and suffering everyday." I than looked at Hazel and the rest. "You guys, especially Bigwig... YOU CAN'T JUST BLAME HUMANS FOR EVERY FAULT! Not everyone is bad, most would say people are good than bad. You just have to look very hard enough to see some of them do have heart."

"It's not that everyone is bad." Bigwig tried to explain. "You just don't understand, what every rabbit has to go through what they done to us. It's hard not to forget about what they done to us."

"I don't understand what?! You think I don't understand?!" I questioned Bigwig, even letting out my fudge bomb out at him. I than started to cry hard.

"Look at us, it's Christmas and _Frith's Eve_ , that I'm crying. It's heartbreaking and also angry to hear lies about what other people say one another, without knowing their full story. Even having a president in my world gets blamed for everything he does. Even people judged on what I believe in my faith. Not at me, but hearing what they said. I just... I wish I was at home with my family."

"Andrew." Hazel tried to reach out.

"WHAT?!" in rage, I tossed my bag to a corner, near someone's burrow. "All I hear is rhetoric throughout my life."

"Andrew, it doesn't mean you have to believe everything they said, even what we said." Hazel said.

"WELL I DIDN'T DO IT, DIDN'T I?! No, I don't think so." I breathed deeply and let go.

Hazel came close to me.

"Sometimes I wish I wasn't even here. I would just go on with my life." I wished. "Maybe it's my fault."

"It's not your fault." Hazel comforted me, he continued to repeat it, as it wasn't mine, and I continued to sob, until I embraced him.

"I wish to see my parents, my sisters, and my brother, even my nephew and niece." I continued to sob and repetitively apologizing to them.

One by one, starting Fiver joining for a group hug, before Dandelion and Hawkbit joined, until last and not least Bigwig joined.

"It's alright, lad. I'm sorry." Bigwig apologized.

* * *

After I cleaned my tears, we started to hear someone singing.

"Whose singing?" Hazel wondered.

"It's language I might have heard in my dream." Fiver recalled about seeing Tyler in his dream.

 _Hast du etwas Zeit für mich_

 _Dann singe ich ein Lied für dich_  
 _Von 99 Luftballons_  
 _Auf ihrem Weg zum Horizont_  
 _Denkst du vielleicht grad an mich_  
 _Dann singe ich ein Lied für dich_  
 _Von 99 Luftballons_  
 _Und, dass so was von so was kommt_

"'99 Luftballons..." I tried to figure out what it means, until I realized it's German. "I know it!"

"What is it, Andrew?" Bigwig asked.

"It's German. _Luftballons_ is air-ballons and hearing the ninety-nine. The song is _99 Luftballons_! It's a song." I started to follow the singing. "It sounds like Tyler."

"How can you be sure?" Dandelion asked.

Hawkbit started to listen. "It sounds like him!"

We hurried over to a burrow, where we saw Tyler singing out loud, as always, but in slow ballad. Tyler is alive and well!

"Tyler!" I hurried over to him, as the rabbits were shocked and awe that they didn't have a slight reaction. I gave him a hug. "You're alive! Clover will be happy to see you alive and at one piece."

"Tyler? Clover?" he questioned.

"Tyler is your name and Clover is your mother, along with Hawkbit as your father. It's me Andrew!" I told him.

"I'm sorry... I don't know that name, and knowing anyone of you. I'm Blueberry." he spoke.

I became shocked that he doesn't remember anything about us and himself.

"YOU!" behind me is Bigwig, as he's charging his way to Tyler or Blueberry.

 _To Be_ Continued...


	62. Winter On Watership Down Part 5

Winter On Watership Down Part 5

 **Author's Note: I would like to thank heavily to Supernova2015 for his ideas in this episode. Stay Tuned for the next part. Feel free to write a review, on what you think about this episode and the series by far, I'll like to hear your thoughts and opinions. Thank You!**

Bigwig charged up at Tyler and tackled him to the ground.

"How could you do this to us, Tyler? After everything we did for you!" Bigwig exclaimed out of betrayal.

"I'm sorry, sir, but who's Tyler? Somebody I should know? Tyler questioned and feeling a bit alarmed.

"Playing dumb, eh? Well maybe a little discipline might help your little memory." Bigwig raised his paw into the air.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I have no idea what you're talking about." Tyler pleaded.

I noticed that Tyler or Blueberry, whoever was telling truth or doesn't have any memory at all that I had to held Bigwig's paw, only to be pushed a side, as Hazel tackled Bigwig off of Tyler from his aggression to the Tyler and myself. I got back up and rushed over to Tyler.

"Hold on, Tyler. You really don't remember your time in Efrafa?" I asked Tyler.

"I don't recall. And for your information, human, the name's not Tyler. It's Blueberry. Miss Buttercup gave me that name after seeing my love for Blueberries." After hearing what he had to say, I thought there was no way Tyler would simply forget all of it, unless he has amnesia. Only one way to find out, as I had to ask him one last question.

"Okay... Blueberry... you really don't know about Efrafa?"

"All I know is that around a season ago, I hit my head on something. Now I can't seem to remember anything." Blueberry answered. I couldn't believe it. He didn't remember anything. I slowly took a few step back, whereas small tears ran down my cheeks, as I shook my head. "I knew it."

Hazel and Bigwig stopped their argument, as their overheard what I said. "Know what, Andrew?" Hazel asked.

"Tyler. He really doesn't remember anything. Not even us." I regretfully stated.

"Don't be stupid, Andrew. There is no way that Tyler would forget us on purpose." Bigwig refused to believe.

"It's true, Bigwig. Something came to him unexpectedly. You see... Tyler is suffering from something that is commonly known among humans as... amnesia."

Bigwig wasn't sure what to think of it and grew concerned. "It can't be that bad, now can it?"

"It's bad alright. Amnesia is when a person ends up in a state of brain injury, shock, fatigue, repression, or illness, thus resulting in their whole memory to get wiped out." I explained.

Hawkbit didn't like the sound of that from what he heard. "You mean...?"

I turned towards Hawkbit and nodded. "Yes, Hawkbit. Tyler's entire memory is...poof... gone."

After hearing it, Hawkbit has gone silent. He didn't know what to say. Until... he started crying, shedding tear after tear. "What have I done?" Hawkbit ran off, leaving us just standing there.

"Fiver, go check on Hawkbit." Hazel instructed. Fiver went out to check on Hawkbit.

"I don't know how we're going to tell the whole warren." Hazel became worried.

"Even Clover, in the matter." Bigwig added.

"There's must be something we could do." Dandelion said.

I shook my head. "There is."

I headed my way to follow Fiver to find Hawkbit, we even bumped into Buttercup.

"I'm so sorry Buttercup. I didn't mean to bump into you like that." I apologized.

"Quite alright, my dear. What's going on? Your friends started to become distant." she asked out of concerned.

"A long story, have you seen one of our friends, he probably hopped past through here." Fiver asked.

"He was in tears and left the warren, everything alright?" she answered and asked.

"I don't know it's about Blueberry and we're trying to find Hawkbit." I tried to answer. "We'll be back."

Fiver and I continued to look for Hawkbit, until we spotted him outside, near towards the hedge in tears. It wasn't bright for him to be alone outside, as danger could lurk at night. We went to him and comfort him about the upsetting news.

"There you are, Hawkbit. We've been searching the whole warren for you." I told him. I could tell sometimes wasn't right. I could see a lot of puddles surrounding Hawkbit. I could tell that he was crying that he didn't bother speaking, from how tearful he is.

"Is everything alright, Hawkbit?" Fiver asked.

No, nothing's alright! I've really done it this time. Tyler doesn't remember any of us, and it's all my fault. If only I would have accepted Tyler for who he was after he confessed his past to us." Hawkbit exclaimed.

"Fortunately Hawkbit, Tyler's situation is not permanent."

"It's not? Hawkbit sniffled.

"Not at all. You see, Hawkbit, I people back home who suffered from amnesia. The only to be cured of it is by visiting various places he knew, including his hometown or simply reminding them about a certain activity that he, she, or we all are doing. The familiar surroundings resulted in him regaining his memory, one piece at a time." I tried to lighten him up.

"How could that help?" he asked.

"Time after time, he'll start remembering again and next thing we'll know is that he remembers entirely." I answered. "However, you got to help him, if you wanted him to remember. Everyone will pitch in."

Hawkbit cleaned himself up and nodded his head.

* * *

Meanwhile back at Watership Down, the rest of the rabbits of the warren were still with Kehaar to hear what had happened to Hazel and the _Owsla_. It was like they assumed for the worst, but they weren't sure how to carry on or continue with _The Feast of Frith_ without them or having any enough _flayrah_ for everyone.

"It's not gonna be same around here. Hazel good rabbit, Bigwig good rabbit, Fiver good rabbit, and Andrew good human." Kehaar started to accept the inevitable.

"And Tyler Damien... he's gone forever." Clover started to sob.

"No! They can't be gone! Not now!" Pipkin refused to believe.

"Bad things can happen anytime, Pipkin. Even on _Frith's Eve_." Blackberry stated.

"Dandelion has to tell the story of _El-ahrairah_ and _The Great Freeze_. He tells it every year." Pipkin added.

"Maybe not this year." she sadly said.

"But... he always does." Pipkin said, as he looked around at the rest of the animals.

Primrose realized that Pipkin has been a good story teller and almost alike to Dandelion that she figured out an idea. "Perhaps you could tell the story to everyone. You're old enough now and Dandelion would be proud of you to take his place, just this once."

"I'll join with you Pipkin." a voice came from a young kitten. They turned to see three of Hazel's and Primrose's kittens coming towards Pipkin and Gilia stepped forward. "We'll help you tell the story together, for everyone and Tyler." Gilia spoke.

"Me too!" Snowdrop agreed.

"Me three!" Mallow joined.

Pipkin still wasn't sure. "And I'll be here to help you three, in case any of you forget any bits." Primrose will be able to provide assistance.

"We all would love to hear the story." Blackberry encourages Pipkin, as he's given additional help.

"Good story. Good for Kehaar's sad heart." Kehaar encouraged also to Pipkin.

Pipkin looked at Clover is emotionally in tears, as her hopes are lost. Pipkin refused to give up, however he decided to tell the story with three kittens, whom they'll be able to tell it along with him. "Alright, we'll do it." And so, Pipkin, Gilia, Snowdrop, and Mallow stood at the rock's stand over the Honeycomb and gathered all the animals and rabbits around to hear a story that the rabbits traditionally tell once a year: _El-ahrairah and The Great Freeze_. Pipkin took small deep breath, as everyone was waiting to hear someone giving a speech. He than smiled and told the tale.

(Pipkin's Part)

 _There was a time, when the world never got dark or cold, because Frith was always in the sky, watching what he made and all the animals in it. But one day, he left the sky and went away. The world grew very very cold and snow covered all of the grass._

(Gilia's Part)

 _Soon, there was no food. El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle went to the rescue. They traveled to visit Prince Rainbow, who lived in the sky. When they got there, they asked:_

 _"Where did Frith go?"_

 _Prince Rainbow told them, that Frith went to visit the stars, to find out the secret of the universe._ _El-ahrairah knew, that his people could not survive without Frith. So El-ahrairah came up with a plan, to trick Frith into coming back to the world. He told Prince Rainbow, that he and Rabscuttle would make tracks in the snow, which would spin out the secret of the universe._

(Snowdrop's Part)

 _Then El-ahrairah asked Prince Rainbow to get Frith to come and read the message. Sure enough, that Frith returned in the sky and came down to read the message. The warmth of his raise started to melt the snow; and El-ahrairah's message._

(Mallow's part)

 _Frith had being tricked. The grass begin to grow again and Frith realized that he had been missed. He knew, he had been unfair to all the animals._

(Pipkin's Part)

 _And he said, even now, he might go away to visit his other worlds, he would always come back. Frith made the holly, the ivy and the yew, which stay green all winter. They are Frith's promise: No matter how cold the winter or how deep the snow, we will be warm again and the grass will grow. Always and forever. Frith will always come back. He promised._ And Hazel and the others will come back too with Tyler, because he promised.

After Pipkin finished the tale with a special closing, Kehaar started to cry, as Clover remembered about _Frith's_ promise in the tale that he always keeps his promises.

"Pipkin tells truth." Kehaar wiped. "Hazel always keeps promise."

"As too for Hawkbit." Clover spoke. "He promised me that Tyler will come home with them. I need to believe that they'll be back, with Tyler, as in the story that Pipkin and the kittens wonderfully told, as too for Gilia for not giving up on Tyler coming home. I gave up immediately throughout the whole time, that I shouldn't have. I promise that I believe that Tyler will come home."

Kehaar cleaned himself from his tears and took a deep breath. "Kehaar give up too easy. I go find Hazel! I... promise!" Kehaar headed out of the warren and make haste to find Hazel and the _Owsla_ , as the snow continues to storm on _Frith's Eve_ and importantly Christmas Eve...

* * *

Later after Fiver and I comforting Hawkbit, they headed back inside the warren. I had to get my mind straight and give everyone space, before I went back inside the warren. Just moments I headed back in, I looked up to see the Christmas Tree is now brightened by the Christmas lights making it more colorful than before.

"I'm sorry I let you down." I apologized.

I sighed and made my way back inside. When I got back inside, I noticed that Bigwig was edging on Blueberry about _Efrafa_ , while Hazel and the _Owsla_ got the _flayrah_.

"Andrew, you're here." Hazel was surprised.

"Yeah... what are you doing?" I asked.

"We're still gathering the _flayrah_ and we're going to leave." Hazel said.

"Really?" I questioned.

They all looked at him, before I turned towards Bigwig. "And Bigwig... he doesn't remember and he's Blueberry." I remained him about the amnesia.

Bigwig gasped quietly and remembered, as he backed away from Blueberry. "I'm sorry chum."

"Miss. Buttercup!" Blueberry started to shout in alarm and I knew we're going to get it.

"What's going deary?" Buttercup came in and asked Blueberry.

"Those strangers are trying to steal our _flayrah_!" Blueberry informed her.

"Just what do you think you're doing?!" Buttercup turned over towards us and questioned us.

I couldn't believe that after what we debated, they decided to go with their old ways.

Bigwig decided to hold off, as Hazel and the others headed out. They began of heading out of the warren, that I had no other choice to follow after them, as Bigwig stayed behind. When we're a bit away from Buttercup's warren, we're going through the maze until we felt like we're Jack Torrance, as we lost our way.

"There's no way out of here!" Dandelion exclaimed.

"Through the hedge!" Hawkbit shouted as he's about to dare to go through it.

Hazel quickly blocked Hawkbit's path. "'Man' made this place, they may be snares."

I than blocked his path, as he bumped into me. "You just used me! And lied to me!"

Hazel at first didn't understand what he did wrong.

"After we all shared that moment, YOU WENT BACK ON WORD!" I exclaimed.

"Andrew, you must understan-"

"NO! You need to understand, right now!" I interrupted him.

Blueberry came out of nowhere that we turned towards him. "Did I disturb you?"

I sighed. "No you didn't Blueberry." Turning back towards Hazel. "You lied to me and you're deciding to steal _flayrah_ from a good warren, whom they helped us and helped me. Even helping Tyler."

The three looked at Hazel, as he was frozen as a statue, as he dropped a carrot. "If you wanted to lie or go behind my back, do at another time, not during Christmas Eve and _Frith's Eve_. I'm sure _El-ahriarah_ wouldn't go steal other good friendly warren's _flayrah_ wouldn't they?!"

"Andrew's right. That is not the ways we search for food, even taking advantage of someone trying to help us." Fiver agreed.

Hazel sighed and realized what he has done. "Andrew, we're sorry. For lying to you, after we have discussed. We apologized for going behind your back."

I sighed. "I don't know... it's too much now that you guys will go back to your old selves you were before. I don't know if it's consider forgivable."

Heartbroken, Hazel realized that he let me down and felt guilty, as well with the _Owsla_.

"Is _Frith's Eve_ all about sharing a moment with another rabbit?" Blueberry asked.

"Yes, but where I come from, it's called Christmas and it's similar time what rabbits celebrate, but although we give gifts and observe the true meaning of Christmas." I answered.

"I'm sure it's about love and forgiveness." he pointed out.

I than started to remember what Christmas is also, about love and also at times that we need to forgive, as Jesus Christ wanted us to. "Hazel, I'm sorry for being hard on you enough. I think we all are in deep s-"

"You need to say it." Hazel interrupted. "I think we're all to blame."

I nodded. "I'll forgive from going behind my back, would you forgive me for not accepting your forgiveness?"

Hazel and the others smiled warmly. "Of course we will."

"How about we go tell Ms. Buttercup what happened and we'll sort this problem out." Blueberry suggested.

Hazel and the _Owsla_ , and myself nodded our heads. As we're about to head our way back to Buttercup's warren, a fox emerge out of nowhere and got our scent.

"Run!" Hazel ordered all of us.

We started to head back, however I turned around to see Blueberry was staying behind. "Blueberry, what are you doing?!"

"Go I'll take care of him." he stood his ground, as he gazed at the fox. "Come and get me you slime breath!"

The fox charged at him, but Blueberry barely messed him. The fox again goes for another charge, but this time Blueberry sweep kicked the fox to the ground and gave him a high kick. I was surprised to see that Blueberry, or even Tyler still remembered his martial arts skills, if partial of his amnesia hasn't impacted his brain.

"You see, Andrew. I got him." Blueberry cheered.

The fox woke up from being knocked out for a bit of seconds, he his final charge at him.

"Blueberry, LOOK OUT!" I shouted.

He turned and the fox clawed at his chest, before the second strike on the back of his head that had tossed him over towards a hedge and landed on the snowy ground.

"Oh no, BLUEBERRY!" I shouted and headed my way over to him to see he's unconscious, as too he was slightly marked on his that it could be quick recovery. The fox started to slowly come towards me, as I defended unconscious Blueberry.

Out of nowhere, I started to hear singing that the fox heard it as well as the voices started to come towards us. The fox quickly ran from sight, as I moved Blueberry into the maze hedge. When we got in there, there wasn't a single snare trap that I wasn't surprised at all. I snow smashing, as I peeked through I saw the people from the mansion, perhaps a family started Christmas caroling as they're going through the maze. Surprisingly, it was a Christmas song that I haven't heard from a long time, as well from a Christmas movie.

 _Somewhere in my memory_  
 _Christmas joys all around me_  
 _Living in my memory_  
 _All of the music, all of the magic_

 _All of the family, home here with me_

After hearing it, I still wished that I was back at home. I looked over at Blueberry that he needed help. "Don't worry Blueberry, I'll get you back." I pulled him out of the hedge and started to follow the people distantly without revealing ourselves. Until they muttered about rabbits, as they adore them. I was thinking that we were spotted, but before the turn towards the Christmas Tree, Hazel, The _Owsla,_ Buttercup, and apparently Kehaar found us.

"Andrew!" Hazel called out. "Thank _Frith_ you're okay." Fiver was relieved. "But where's Tyler?" Bigwig asked.

"Do you mean, Blueberry?" I meant to correct him.

"Get to it, lad!" Bigwig wanted me get to the point.

"He's out cold. The fox played a dirty trick on Blueberry! He's distracted him long enough to slash him right in the chest, and while Blueberry was in pain, the fox stroke him in the back of his head, using his hindlegs!

They all gasped. "Oh, no!" Hawkbit shouted.

We all gathered around, as I tried to give him Blueberry a fix on his wound on his chest by wrapping it with bandages and as well as on the back of his head.

"How is he?" Buttercup asked.

I checked his pulse. "He's breathing, but he's unconscious."

"Please wake up my ol' Son!" Hawkbit begged.

We all waited to see if he would awake, as we're all together around him... he suddenly opened his eyes giving us a gasp!

 _To Be Continued..._


	63. Winter On Watership Down Part 6

Winter On Watership Down Part 6

 **Author's Note: I would like to thank heavily to Supernova2015 for his ideas in this episode. Stay Tuned for the next part. Feel free to write a review, on what you think about this episode and the series by far, I'll like to hear your thoughts and opinions. Thank You! As well to add another surprise,** **Dandelion's Big Story will be part of this series, as well, before The Season's Finale. Stay Tuned!**

Soon after Blueberry woke up, we're all relieved that he didn't leave us and it was a _Frith's Eve_ miracle that he survived an attack by a fox.

"So you're back from the other side." I said to Blueberry.

"Thank Frith you're alright, Blueberry. We thought we lost you." Hazel was relieved. "

Why are you calling Blueberry, Hazel? It's Tyler." Tyler first spoke. Just then, Tyler realized that he just said Hazel's name. "Holy Moly. I remember."

We all couldn't believe is back to his old self and he's no longer "Blueberry". "It's a miracle." I realized.

"Indeed, a _Frith's Eve_ miracle, but how does Tyler remember so suddenly who he is?" Fiver asked.

"It must have happened when that fox struck him on the back of his head, thus bringing back his memory. So it is true, that I did mention familiar surroundings and stuff, but a good hit on the head does as well." I answered.

"Oh Thank _Frith_ , _Prince Rainbow, and their messengers!_ " Hawkbit was tearfully overjoy, as he embraced Tyler, before Tyler started to become tearful.

"You know, Tyler. Now that we finally found you, we can bring you home." I was relieved. I then saw Tyler's eyes going as round as saucers.

"NO!" he shouted.

That left us all confused. "I'm sorry?" I questioned.

"I'm sorry, Andrew, but I can't. As much as I'm happy to see all of you, I just can't come home. I... I just don't belong there on the Down, after all the lies that I told. I mean Hawkbit was right the whole time... I don't deserve to be one of you guys." Tyler refused.

I looked over to Hawkbit. I could tell that he felt quite sorrowful for what he said that he hopped away.

"That's not true! Everyone was worried about you. We looked all over for you! Even at one point in time that I found at the market and you didn't bother come to come back." I recalled.

"You saw him?" Hazel questioned.

"I did, you remember when I left?" I asked him.

"What a minute... you ran away?" Tyler asked.

"I did. Don't you remember when we came across with each other at the market?" I was surprised that he didn't remember.

"It was we were near a tavern and listened to some songs." he thought.

"Right and you gave me something too. A CD for Richard Wagner's hits, for example _Ride of the_ _Valkyries_."

He thought hard of it and he started to remember. "Yeah... I do remember that."

"Instead of coming back to us when you had the chance, you went off on your own, at one point with _Efrafa_ , from Campion told us."

Tyler became shocked and looked at Bigwig, but he was calm. "It's true, lad. I didn't take it lightly for myself to I had to think about it hard tonight."

"Why's that?" Tyler asked.

Bigwig sighed. "Because I thought you were going to aid for the enemy. However, until than we noticed that you don't remember yourself at all."

"What do you mean? And how did I got here?" Tyler asked.

"You traveled a lot and the last time we heard you were there on timeline, you were at Cowslip's." I answered.

"When I found you, you were unconscious and man took you in to recover, before I found you outside recovered." Buttercup added.

"And that's where the name came for Blueberry because you like blueberries that Buttercup fed you." I summed up.

Tyler started to realize that he's been through an experience. "Really? You guys haven't gave up on me or took me for granted because of what I said."

"Of course not, we'll accept you from who you are." Hazel said. "Alike to Andrew, you two are nearly the same."

"As well that you done so much for us, even helped us make new friends." Fiver added.

"Who?" he asked.

"We met a rabbits named Hickory and Marigold, they now have their own warren." Dandelion answered.

"Including Bark, she said that you helped her by freeing her from a cage." Fiver added.

Tyler couldn't believe it, until we had to explain it to him from what Bark told us. He than started to realized that he was at his fault from having them going through so much to finding him.

"Guys... all of you... I'm so, so sorry that I lied to you all. I wanted to tell you the truth, but I was too afraid of what you would have done to me if I did." Tyler apologized.

"What do you mean?" Buttercup asked.

"I'm not from this world Buttercup. I came from the same world Andrew was. I was an orphan and traveled with my orphanage's guardians. As well as saving animals." he explained. "I was brought back to life by _Frith_ and _The Black Rabbit_ , as a rabbit. Before meeting my newly adopted mother and later we were rescued by Hazel and his follow rabbits."

"That might be quite of an adventure." she complimented.

"Well, I didn't even share everyone about this, I was worried about how they would react." Tyler feared.

"We all make mistakes, Tyler. Take it from us, along with everyone else on the Down." Hazel comforted him.

"Not so long ago, Pipkin and I went down to an orchard to feast on some apples, despite Hazel and Bigwig strictly forbidding us from doing it." Fiver recalled.

"One time, Hawkbit got really annoyed with Fiver because of his vision involving a weasel, that we fought off before, returning." Dandelion recalled.

"Dandelion... Tyler and I were there." I corrected.

"Oh, quite right." Dandelion quickly remembered.

"Your mother did recall that you'll come back one day." I added.

"Mom? She really said that?" Tyler questioned.

"Yes, she never stopped thinking of you once, Tyler. She never gave up hope that you would one day return on the Down."

Tyler didn't know what to say. He really felt so stupid right now. Running off like that. Worrying his mom. Worrying everyone on Watership Down. "I really miss you, guys. Especially my mom. She was the only rabbit I could trust with the truth. I wish… I wish I never left her. I wish I never ran off. I want to come home. I want everything to go back to how it was before my mistake. I want…" Tyler couldn't handle it any longer. He had to say it. "I WANT MY MOMMY!

Tyler resumed crying into Hazel's chest, finally regretting ever running off and having everyone on the Down, especially his mother, worried sick. Everyone had their hearts melted of how Tyler thought of them. They shed tears of joy because of that, especially Bigwig, as he gave Tyler a human salute in respect, whereas I held my hand over my heart. Everyone was so happy that Tyler was willing to come home. Just then, I noticed that Hawkbit seemed down for some reason.

"Hawkbit?" I went over to him.

"They had every right to be mad at me after Tyler ran off that night. It's all my fault that he ran off in the first place. I said such horrible words about him… and only because he told the truth about himself. If only I had accepted him for who he was that night. I don't deserve to be a father after what I said about him."

"I don't think so, Hawkbit!" I disagreed. Hawkbit looks at me in confusion. "True, you said bad things about him which caused him to run away, but he still loved you as a father, Hawkbit. A father!"

"It's unforgivable, Andrew! I failed him!" Hawkbit exclaimed.

"The only way to find out he forgives you, is that you apologize to him." I suggested.

"How could you be so sure?" Hawkbit questioned.

"Just look at him." I pointed at Tyler crying. "Right now, I think he needs, is his parents. He's young as well and full heart. I'm sure he'll forgive you."

There was only one way to find out about making mends. He hopped over to Tyler and attempted to give a shot try. "Tyler?"

Tyler slowly disengaged himself from Hazel's chest and started to face Hawkbit, as they both looked at each other for a long time.

Hawkbit took a deep breath and then started talking. "Last time we saw each other, I said a lot of insulting things about you behind your back. I didn't know how much it would hurt you, apart from you running away. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I was... I was just upset about you never telling us the truth before than. And Tyler... I never meant to hurt your feelings. I even regret ever saying what I said that night. I'm so, so sorry for hurting you, Tyler, and even if you probably not going to forgive me for the rest of your life for what I said, I'm at least glad that I got all this off my chest at last." Than there was a moment of silence. Nobody said anything, including me.

It was then that Tyler started to tear up, and then... gave Hawkbit a warming embrace, and cried into his chest. "I'm sorry too. I should've told you the truth from the beginning."

"How can you forgive me so easily, Tyler? I thought you would be really mad at me for what happened that night." Hawkbit was confused that Tyler forgave him in a instant.

"I could never be mad at you for the way you admitted your mistake tonight. I love you too much for that… Dad." Tyler cleaned himself from his tears and smiled. Hawkbit couldn't believe his ears that he hasn't heard Tyler calling him that in a long time.

After Tyler and Hawkbit shared another hug, we than started to hear the people caroling again and this time they would be singing next to the Christmas Tree.

 _O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!_

 _Thy leaves are so unchanging;_

"What are they doing?" Bigwig wondered.

"I heard it too from another Christmas song." I added.

"Sounds like they're singing _O Tannenbaum_ or commonly called _O Christmas Tree_." Tyler listened.

"Whatever it is, it's wonderful isn't it." Buttercup was in loved with the caroling that she peeked to watch the family sing as we're towards the entrance of the Christmas Tree. We all followed with Buttercup and watched and listen.

 _O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!_  
 _Thy leaves are so unchanging;_  
 _Not only green when summer's here,_  
 _But also when 'tis cold and drear._  
 _O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!_  
 _Thy leaves are so unchanging!_

"Maybe there's more to 'man' than we know." Bigwig started to realize.

I looked over to Bigwig. "Seems like you get it."

Bigwig looked at Buttercup, as she lightly smiled. "Well, you both were right. We're all wrong about Buttercup."

"I'm sorry Buttercup, on behalf of all of us." I apologized.

"We all own you an apology." Hazel agreed, with the _Owsla_ nodding their heads in agreement.

"I knew it! It was the fox that I sensed." Fiver began to realize from his vision.

"You can sense foxes?" Buttercup asked, as no one has ever done it before.

"Sometimes, it's a long story... Fiver is... uhhhh... some what gifted." Bigwig figured out what to say about Fiver.

"And now since the fox is pretty much gone by now, we're safe." I added.

"There are humans just close nearby." Hazel said.

"They won't hurt us, they care about us." Buttercup said.

"Apparently, they like rabbits." Bigwig stated.

"Good humans?" Hazel felt questioned.

Me and Tyler cleared our throats, from the fact that one: I'm human and second Tyler was human, before he became a rabbit. Hazel turned towards us. "Oh, right! I should've known that before. I'm so caught up with our hatred."

"I know that, but sometimes humans do intend to hurt rabbits, as like I said, 'Most people are good'." I recalled what I spoke, back in the warren.

"In a real sense, Tyler was human and I didn't take it lightly, because he announced it seasons after he came." Hawkbit recalled. "Now I learned, it doesn't matter if he's human or not, he's now my son."

"We've been taught some interesting cultures and other things about 'man', due to Andrew and Tyler sharing with us and telling us about it." Dandelion added.

"When we moved to Watership Down, you said, 'we have to accept new ideas and new ways of doing things.'" Fiver recalled what Hazel made a rule when we first arrived and started a new home.

"I did, didn't I." Hazel wrapped his arm around his little brother.

"I'm surprised. For being with you guys nearly a year, I could have remembered that." I was surprised. "However, I gave Fiver the most credit for it."

"I offered you our food and friendship. As man shares with us, we'd like to share with you." Buttercup smiled, as she renewed of offering _flayrah_ and now offered friendship between us and her warren.

"In the Spirit of _Frith's Eve_ , we accept and we thank you." Hazel accepted the gift and thanked her.

 _No matter how cold the winter_

 _No matter how deep the snow_

 _We'll be warm again and the grass will grow_

"Listen, they're at it again." Bigwig started to hear the humans singing again.

"Strange, I never heard this Christmas song before, did you Tyler?" I asked.

"Very rarely, I heard it once I when I was young." Tyler recalled it as _The Winter Song_.

"It sounds right." Fiver listened to it.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"It's _Frith's Eve_ , and the story of _The Great Freeze_! It sounds about right!"

 _No matter where life may take us_

 _No matter how hard they try_

 _They'll not break us_

 _You and I_

* * *

After we listened to the song, we said our goodbyes to Buttercup, after receiving our _flayrah_ gift to deliver back to Watership Down. Luckily enough, I packed them mostly into my bag, so the rabbits won't have to worry about carrying them. Buttercup lead us out of the maze. She briefly thanked me for defending her opinion about humans. I kept it short and she was amazed that a human came to her warren, however if it wasn't for her help I could have a pneumonia and died. We were offered to welcome back to her warren to visit, as we offered her to visit our warren as well. After our final goodbyes, we set haste to journey home.

Although, we began to heading our way back to Watership Down, we still forgot how to find our way back.

"Kehaar knows the way!" Kehaar shouted from above.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Follow 'The Bethlehem Star'!" he shouted.

We looked for the star, until Tyler noticed a star. "Is it the star that is shining very brightly than the others." He pointed towards a star that was gleaming brightly that it expands for a short periods of time before dim for the short minute, until gleaming again.

"It is a bright star, I wonder if _Frith_ is visiting to that star." Bigwig wondered.

"Perhaps." Hazel thought as well.

I while they wondered about the star, I gazed at the star and only in my mind that neither one of them have heard perhaps, even Kehaar that a heavenly choir started to sing.

 _One Star In The Night_

"I believe it is 'The Star of Bethlehem'!" I began to realize.

"I beg your pardon?" Fiver asked.

"I hear it. Don't you?" I asked. Neither of the rabbits heard anything as they shrugged.

"I'm sorry, lad. We don't hear anything." Hawkbit answered.

"I do though. Perhaps if we follow that star, we could be able to reach Watership Down, before we know it! Come on!" I started to follow it.

"Andrew, how can you be sure? _Elil_ still could be wandering out here!" Hazel shouted.

"Just believe it, Hazel! Have faith!" I shouted, as they catch up and we started to follow the star shining brightly.

 _Singing silently, You can hear the music if you listen with your heart. One Star In The Night Shown over Bethlehem, Magic in the moment when that lonely star began its lovely song._

After minutes of following the star, we found 'high lonely hills' covered in snow. "We're here!" Fiver exclaimed. "We're back home and the peach tree is not far from here!"

"We must hurry before the guests started to leave." Hazel said, as we continued to hurry back to our warren, as the choir sang louder.

 _Angels lullaby On that holy night, Sung unto a Savior who was born beneath its glow. One Star In The Night Rainbow in the dark, One night to remember on that peaceful night the King of Kings was born._

We finally arrived back towards our warren, and I couldn't help to notice the star was shining down below our warren. I knew that God was showing us the way home, so we don't lose our way to the snow.

"We're home, thanks to you Kehaar." I thanked him.

"No, thank you Andrew for telling me about shining star and Pipkin's story." Kehaar thanked me.

"Pipkin told the story?" Dandelion asked.

"He and Hazel's baby chicks." Kehaar answered.

"They must kept faith and encouraged others to have hope." Tyler stated.

"The question is now... is are we going to surprise them?" I wondered.

Hawkbit thought for a minute and grinned. "I know of an idea."

* * *

We entered at the warren, we quietly make an entrance, until we're near the Honeycomb, Blackberry was giving a grieving announcement about the cancellation.

"We have to do something." I said.

"I know what to do." Tyler smiled and hurried off. "Just gave them a surprise entrance, giving enough time." He hurried off.

"Well, I guess it's time to shine." I said, as everyone nodded. We made our surprising entrance. "You guys didn't think we'll be not showing, right?"

Everyone turned around to see me, Hazel and the _Owsla,_ and Kehaar returning back. "Like I promised!" Kehaar cheered.

I unzipped my backpack to reveal the _flayrah_ from Buttercup's, as Bigwig and the rest of the _Owsla_ grabbed the rest from the storage burrow.

"Didn't I tell you?" Pipkin cheerful.

"I should have known you were right, Pipkin." Primrose smiled. Pipkin hurried over with Snowdrop, Gilia, and Mallow giving Hazel a hug.

"You came back!" Pipkin cheered.

"Was there any doubt about it?" Hazel smiled.

Pipkin and the kittens looked at each other smiled. "Of course not."

I was happy that we came back and just in time too, before all the guests would think about leaving. In the middle of all this, Clover came to me. "Hello Clover."

"Andrew. You're back. And you look like you've seen better days." Clover spoke.

"It doesn't matter now. All that matters is that we all made it home safely." I said, before I turned towards Hawkbit standing next to me. "With that, Hawkbit and I have got you a little something. Consider it a gift to cheer you up during _T_ _he Feast of Frith_."

"It was kinda my idea. Andrew here simply agreed on helping me out." Hawkbit smiled also.

"It depends... what d-" Before Clover could speak, it was then that she heard a beautiful angel like singing voice she thought she would never hear again.

"Was that..." Clover wondered.

"Look up, Clover." I pointed up towards The Honeycomb. And what Clover saw was like a miracle. Tyler, standing in the center of the Honeycomb, singing a beautiful ballad... Make A Wish by Cindy Mizelle and Asuca Hayashi.

 _When daytime turns to night,_

 _when the moon shines bright,_

 _When you're tucked in tight,_

 _when everything's alright._  
 _Slip softly to that place,_

 _where secret thoughts run free,_  
 _There come face to face with who you want to be,_

 _So swim across the ocean blue, fly a rocket to the moon;_  
 _You can change your life, or you can change the world._  
 _Take a chance, don't be afraid, life is yours to live;_  
 _Take a chance, and then the best has yet to come_

 _Make a wish, it's up to you._  
 _Find the strength inside,_

 _then watch your dreams come true._  
 _You don't need a shooting star, the magic's right there in your heart;_  
 _Close your eyes, believe, and make a wish..._

As Tyler kept on singing, Clover just stood there, shedding a small tear. "To think that I was this close of giving up hope on ever seeing him again."

" _Happy Feast of Frith_ , Clover and a _Merry Christmas_." I smiled at her and told her.

"Thank you, Andrew. And a _Happy Christmas_ and _Happy Feast of Frith_ to you." she thanked me.

"I appreciate your greetings, Clover, But don't just thank me. Thank Hawkbit as well. He made extra sure that Tyler would be home and dry." I credited to Hawkbit as well.

She turned towards him. "Is it true, Hawkbit?"

"You can thank me later. I suggest you go to him now. Tyler needs his mother more than ever." Hawkbit spoke.

As Tyler concluded his singing, the whole warren cheered loudly as we all listened. Tyler has never felt so alive. He finally felt accepted again. Tyler: It's so good to be home. What Tyler didn't know was that he was approached by his own mother.

"Tyler?" Clover stood near him.

Tyler's ears sprung up, after hearing a voice he haven't heard in a while. He slowly turned and saw Clover, right in front of him. They both looked at each other for a while, and then... Tyler started shedding... tears of happiness.

"MOM!" Tyler hugged Clover and starting both crying and nuzzling into her chest. Clover started crying as well. She was so happy to see Tyler again.

"Oh, Tyler, I missed you so much." Clover embraced her son.

"I missed you too, Mom. I'm sorry I ran off like that. I was just upset about how Dad insulted me behind my back. I didn't know what to do. I'm so so sorry." Tyler tearfully apologized.

Clover could only smile, as she gave Tyler a big hug. "It's okay, Tyler. It's all in the past now." They soon broke their hug whereas looking each other in the eyes again, but not before Hawkbit approaching.

"Glad to see that you two are back together again, eh?" Hawkbit said. Clover turned away from Tyler to look at Hawkbit, and what then came, surprising Hawkbit completely. Clover... hugged him.

"Thank you, Hawkbit. Thank you... for bringing our son home." she thanked him.

Hawkbit could only do one thing... hug Clover back. "You're welcome, Clover. _Happy Feast of Frith_." he spoke softly

"Happy Feast of Frith to you too, Hawkbit." she spoke softly as well.

Tyler watched as Clover and Hawkbit were still hugging each other. "Yep. Things just can't get better." I heard Tyler said, as I continued to watch below.

"TYLER!" Gilia came out of nowhere just then, Tyler got tackled to the ground by Gilia, who endlessly started nuzzling into his chest, shedding tears of joy, as well Snowdrop and Mallow dog-pilled him also. "You came back. You came back."

"Hey, Gilia. Nice to see you too." Tyler said.

"I really missed you, Tyler."

"I missed you too, Gillia." he said, as he looked up to see a mistletoe was hanging above them. "No way. A mistletoe."

"Mistletoe? Gilia questioned.

"It's a tradition on the holiday that we call Christmas. Whoever's under the Mistletoe, gives the other person a kiss." Tyler explained.

"Really?"

Tyler nodded, whereas the both of them looked at each other for a long time. Then... they slowly moved in and gave each other a nuzzle, until then for Gillia... to give Tyler a passionate kiss. That's right. An actual human kiss, right of the lips. Tyler seemed shocked about it, until he slowly closed his eyes, melted in, and kissed her back. They soon broke their kiss, looked at each other again, and then hugged each other.

"I love you, Tyler. I love you ever since you share your world with me." Gilia said.

"I love you too, Gilia. I love you more than anything else here on the Down, besides my parents." Tyler smiled. He than turned on his Zune HD and a

Japanese song that I never heard of blasted out. _Lupinranger VS Patranger?_ I recalled from what Tyler told me, before he ran away.

T _yler: Yami no naka de futeki ni warau SHIRUETTO_  
 _Gilia: Flash~ mabushii RAITO de_

 _Tyler: Kono shoutai shiritakerya Catch me if you can_  
 _Gilia: Search~ Sagashidashite-ageru_

 _Tyler & Gilia: Destiny!_

 _Tyler: Yokoku suru_

 _Tyler: Hontou no neuchi wo rikai suru mono dake ni_  
 _Gilia: FEIKU no seigi wo kazashite ubau no_

 _Tyler: Hikari hanatsu mongai-fushutsu no KOREKUSHON_

 _Gilia: Hold up, Lupin! Run if you can!_  
 _Tyler: Lupin, Karei ni mau_

 _Gilia: Gonna chase you up anywhere you are!_  
 _Tyler: Chase you up, Ubaikaesu_

 _Gilia: Kono sekai chitsujo mamoru tame_  
 _Tyler: Ushinaishi toki wo tokasu tame DAIYARU mawase_

 _Gilia: Hold up, Lupin! Run if you can!_  
 _Tyler: Lupin, Semattekuru_

 _Gilia: Sayonara wa iwanai_  
 _Tyler: Chase you up, Yatsura ni adieu_

 _Gilia: Nigasanai wa Patranger_  
 _Tyler: Azayaka ni Lupinranger_

 _Tyler & Gilia: It's showdown!_

As Tyler and Gilia sung their lines, everyone was completely in awe. "I must say... Tyler sings very good." Hawkbit was impressed.  
"Don't forget about Gilia. She sings like an angel." Primrose added.  
"Indeed she does, Primrose." Hazel agreed.

 _Tyler: Chou HEVUI na SEKYURITI yaburu TEKUNIKKU_  
 _Gilia: Drive~ tsuiseki no REDAFENSU_

 _Tyler: SURIRINGU ni hirou s*** Catch me if you can_  
 _Gilia: Find~ sekai harimegurase_

 _Gilia: Kanarazu ai ni ikukara_

 _Tyler: Yokoku wa misui ni owarasenai got your treasure_  
 _Gilia: Yokoku wo soshi s*** shinjitsu abaite_

 _Gilia: Fukanou no imi o oshieyou_

 _Gilia: Hold up, Lupin! Run if you can!_  
 _Tyler: Lupin, Hikaru masuku_

 _Gilia: Gonna chase you up anywhere you are!_  
 _Tyler: Chase you up, Ano yakusoku_

 _Gilia: Yuruganai seigi no na no moto_  
 _Tyler: Gira tsuita yabou mitasu tame DAIYARU mawase_

 _Gilia: Hold up, Lupin! Run if you can!_  
 _Tyler: Lupin, Senaka de kiku_

 _Gilia: Oikake tsudzukeru yo_  
 _Tyler: Chase you up, Juusei ni adieu_

 _Gilia: Toraeru made Patranger_  
 _Tyler: Azayaka ni Lupinranger_

 _Tyler & Gilia: It's showdown!_

As they kept on singing, they seem to blow everyone away with how well they were able to sing in a language they've never heard of. That's when I realize, as I chuckled. "At least now I know why Tyler was spending some much showing Gilia Japanese culture before he ran off."

 _Tyler: Zettai yuzure wa shinai_  
 _Gilia: Negai ga kanau made_

 _Gilia: Kizutsuide mo kitto tsukamaeru_  
 _Tyler: Saigo ni wa hitori kiri demo yaritogete miseru_

 _Gilia: Hold up, Lupin! Run if you can!_  
 _Tyler: Lupin, Karei ni mau_

 _Gilia: Gonna chase you up anywhere you are!_  
 _Tyler: Chase you up, Ubaikaesu_

 _Gilia: Kono sekai chitsujo mamoru tame_  
 _Tyler: Ushinaishi toki wo tokasu tame DAIYARU mawase_

 _Gilia: Hold up, Lupin! Run if you can!_  
 _Tyler: Lupin, Semattekuru_

 _Gilia: Sayonara wa iwanai_  
 _Tyler: Chase you up, Yatsura ni adieu_

 _Gilia: Nigasanai wa Patranger_  
 _Tyler: Azayaka ni Lupinranger_

 _Tyler & Gilia: It's showdown!_

After their duet, everyone applauded and cheered for their performance. Afterwards, everyone feasted on the _flayrah_ , after Hazel gave thanks to _Frith_ , as I silently prayed to God for keeping me safe, my new friends safe and for them letting me to stay. Above all, I prayed that my family are safe. Before _The Feast of Frith_ was over, Dandelion, Pipkin and the kittens told the story of _The Great Freeze_. After they heard of their story, I was given the chance to tell them a story and I decided to share them "The Best Christmas Story" that has been ever told from _The Bible_ from the Gospel of Luke:

 _In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register._

 _So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them._

 _And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."_

 _Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,_

 _"Glory to God in the highest heaven,_  
 _and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."_

 _When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."_

 _So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told._

Everyone in the warren gave applause and cheers, as they commended of the story that I shared to them the true meaning of Christmas.

* * *

After the feast was over and the guests left, it was still dark. I was than being awakened by Tyler.

"Andrew, wake up!" Tyler shook me.

I woke up, still tired. "What time is it?"

"It's Christmas Day!" Tyler declared. "Also, I saw Santa and his reindeer!"

"I don't even know if he came to rabbits." I doubted.

"What do you mean?" he questioned.

"Santa comes to human children, not rabbits." I tried to explain to him.

"Are you kidding?! He visits everyone, I'll show you!" Tyler exited the warren, as I followed, as we kept very quiet without waking the whole warren.

We than came outside of the warren, as the snow snowed gracefully slowly. "He was here, when I woke up and he came here delivering _flayrah_ to us!" Tyler showed me, as we saw a bucket of carrots, lettuce, and other vegetables. "There he is now!" We looked up to see a sleigh in the snowy winter sky and the eight reindeer.

"Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!" we heard Santa Claus declared.

I couldn't believe Santa visited the warren. However, deep down, Tyler was still a child and still believes Santa, as a child should.

"Since you're up, I thought it's appropriate to give you this back to you." Tyler reached to his vest pocket and pulled out my phone.

"Say, I was wondering about my phone. Why do you have it?" I questioned.

"I thought it gave a adjustment to your phone and a Christmas present." Tyler explained, as he handed my phone.

All the sudden, my phone started ringing. I checked the display, and what I saw shocked me to the bone. The caller was...

"Mom." I read the caller ID.

"I realized how long you've been far away from your family has made you quite depressed. So I took the liberty to modify your phone a little tonight. From now on, you'll be able to get access wherever you are. And the best thing, I teched around with it so that your calls will permanently be free as well, no matter what." Tyler explained.

I didn't know what to say. It was until I've realized that my phone was still ringing. I wasted no more time and answered it.

"Hello?" I spoke.

"Andrew, is that you?" my mother spoke.

My heart started to shake very quickly to hear someone's voice that I missed terrible, even when I tried on chance to speak to her back in _Efrafa_ , but Vervain destroyed it. It was my one time that I could speak to her.

"Mom..." I shook.

"Andrew! We're worried about you, where are you?" she asked.

"I'm here at Watership Down with the rabbits... I'm trying to find my way back to you." I started to tear up.

"At least I get to hear your voice." she spoke. "We miss you."

We briefly spoke about what she has done. She told me the usual like every year, going to In and Out to have some burgers, before driving by to see Christmas lights. A voice came out of no where.

"Hi Andrew!" I heard a very young voice to know it was Olivia.

I began to cry. "Hi... why aren't you asleep?"

"I with Mommy. I wanted to say goodnight." she spoke like a 5 year old.

"Goodnight Olivia... I love you." I tearfully said.

"Love you too! Merry Christmas!" she said.

"I love you too."

"Alright, I'm going to put Olivia down. It's wonderful to hear your voice and you're still with us." Mom spoke.

"Okay. Bye, Mom... and... Merry Christmas. I love you, tell everyone else that... I'm okay." I said.

"I'll let everyone know that you're safe. I love you too, son. Have a Merry Christmas to you too. Goodbye." she said.

"Goodbye." I hung up after what seemed like an eternity. Silence spread across the entire warren. Nobody said anything. It was then... that I started to cry more... softly. Everyone in my family seems worried, especially Tyler.

"Andrew... are you alr-" Then, it all happened so fast. I just ran to Tyler and hugged, as I started to cry my eyes out over his shoulder.

"Ever since I came to this world, I was hoping that I would one day see my family again. Seasons passed, and I was this close of giving up hope. Tonight, you gave me back that hope. Thank you so much, Tyler. Thank you so much." I thanked him in tears.

"Your welcome. You gave me a wonderful Christmas gift too, of bringing me home." Tyler spoke.

"With help of course." I pointed out, that I didn't do it all by myself.

"Right, everyone did. Have a great Merry Christmas." Tyler spoke.

"Merry Christmas to you too." I cleaned my tears, as he headed his way back to his burrow. As I came in, I saw Sandy. "Sandy." I cleaned myself. "Merry Christmas."

She smiled. "Merry Christmas to you too."

I put on my phone into _Silent Night_. "Take a look outside."

She looked and she was amazed to see the snow falling slowly, as it still was when Tyler and I showed me about Santa. "Oh, it's beautiful. Oh!" We wrapped in my blanket that is now dried, as we decided to sit down to watch the snow fall.

"Merry Christmas." Sandy said.

"Merry Christmas." I said back to her.

 _All is calm, all is bright_  
 _Round yon virgin, mother and child_  
 _Holy infant so tender and mild_

The two of us snuggled with each other, before we shared a kiss, before we looked back to snow and sleeping to watch the snow continuing to fall and the skies were clear and the stars continued to shine, only one star shining the brightest than all of them. I than dreamed in my that I woke up on the couch of my mother's house, as if I visited for Christmas, as I looked at the tree shining bright in the darkly living room, before my sisters came to see the tree and the presents, before the morning that they would be opened and spend another year with them together as a family, alike I was with at Watership Down.

 _When the silence wakes you_

 _When your nights all alone_

 _When the world forsakes you_

 _Please be strong_

 _Nothing hurts you forever_

 _It will fade away_

 _And the sky will be blue again... one day_

 _No matter how cold the winter_

 _No matter how deep the snow_

 _We'll be warm again and the grass will grow_

 _No matter where life may take us_

 _No matter how hard they try_

 _They'll not break us_

 _You and I_

 _When it's dark inside you_

 _When your flame is low_

 _I'll be beside you_

 _You'll know_

 _Let it pour all around you_

 _Let the cold winds cry_

 _Let the old winds of yesterday... blow by_

 _No matter how cold the winter_

 _No matter how deep the snow_

 _We'll be warm again and the grass will grow_

 _No matter where life may take us_

 _No matter how hard they try_

 _They'll not break us_

 _You and I_

 _No matter how cold the winter_

 _No matter how deep the snow_

 _We'll be warm again and the grass will grow_

 _No matter where life may take us_

 _No matter hard they try_

 _They'll not break us_

 _You... And I_


	64. Episode 21 The Mysterious Visitors Intro

The Mysterious Visitors Prologue

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas and support throughout the series and for the Prologue for the upcoming episode.

Everything was back to normal weeks into months after Tyler returned back to our warren. The Spring came, as the snow disappeared and everything turned green again. The warren is now back to as it was right as rain. In the early morning, before we're being sent out to raid the farm for _flayrah_ , Bigwig halted Tyler and he wanted to discuss with him about _Efrafa_. I waited back to see how would turn out and listened.

"Tyler... is it alright we talk about _Efrafa_?" Bigwig asked Tyler.

"Sure." he was a bit unease after how he was after returning from Buttercup's warren.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry about what I said back at Buttercup's warren, on how you were at _Efrafa_. As well on how I approach when I hear about you in _Efrafa_." Bigwig tries to apologize.

"Don't worry about it Bigwig, I understand on how you feel about _Efrafa_ and General Woundwart." Tyler accepted his apology.

"Still, I don't understand how you were able to survive and/or visit _Efrafa_ , despite we're enemies." Bigwig was still confused.

"When I was captured, I thought to prove Woundwart that I'm a worthy opponent because I'm from New York. I had to test my fighting abilities."

"Such as?" Bigwig asked.

"For one example, while I was away, I was halted by two bridge guards close to _Efrafa._ I decided to stay there, because it was late and that I gained Woundwart's trust after defeating his _Owsla_ , during my capture and before I was set free. Then when I was taken back, I decided to prove to him again that I'm still worthy."

"So you fought again?"

"Yes. After defeating the two guards, Woundwart allowed me to stay and I was treated about the same while I was captured and other days that I was there, before meeting my mom at the farm." Tyler went on.

Bigwig nodded his head and continued to listen.

"Until a couple of days after defeating the guards, I come to realize that _Efrafa_ was becoming more terrible than it was before." Tyler continued. "Maybe perhaps, I shouldn't stay over there. That was the reason why after I left without speaking to the general about it."

"So you escape this time, other than let go?" Bigwig asked.

Tyler nodded. "More just simply left. They trusted me, except Vervain that is and always. I remained me that we can't trust them, but I'm still respectable to Woundwart, because he trust me alone."

"Very well, my ol' son." Bigwig patted Tyler's head. "Just remember, be careful the next time we see them again. They would know that you're with us. I guess you don't have to remember why."

"Very true." Tyler remembered when we got Primrose, Blackavar, and Comet out of the warren and creating a revolt.

Bigwig smiled. "I'm proud to have you in our _Owsla_ from your courage and your ability to fight."

"Thanks Uncle Bigwig." he smiled.

"Now, off you go. They're waiting for you." Bigwig dismissed him.

Tyler nodded and went back towards us. I came to notice that Tyler was smiling and relieved, as he and Bigwig comes to turns about what happened around _Frith's Eve_.


	65. Episode 21 The Mysterious Visitors Part1

The Mysterious Visitors Part 1

On one particular morning, I came along with Fiver, Tyler, Hawkbit, Dandelion, and Pipkin, as it was a good day to raid the Nuthanger Farm. When we arrived, the fence was gone that we dig into some of the _flayrah_ , scot-free without digging underneath a fence.

Immediately, Dandelion took the first dips on one of the greens. "Sweet days."

"You sure you didn't even just thought of it, while you're eating." I said.

"Nope, it just came to me." he spoke.

"I'd heartily recommend the spinach, lads." Hawkbit chewed on the spinach.

"Eat more of that, you're paws and muscles will grow big and you'll be able to take on a cat. Even Popeye." I said, while gathering some of the _flayrah_ into my bag.

"Whose Popeye?" he asked.

"Popeye the Sailor is a comic book and a cartoon character from the same name." Tyler explained. "Although, I would say that you could out match him, because you're quick on your feet, as Popeye is on his muscles."

"Yeah just watch out from his punches, he'll knock you out and sending you to _Frith_." I joked that Tyler couldn't help, but laugh.

"Haven't finished the lettuce yet, Hawkbit." Pipkin said.

Fiver chuckled. "But we'll get to it."

"I'm looking at all of us right now, need we'll grow muscles like Popeye and we could take on anyone, even a dog or a cat." I stated.

Everyone laughed, as we're still eating the _flayrah_ from the garden.

"However, let's not forget to keep an eye out for the local nuisances, shall we?" Fiver remained us.

"Right, the farmer and his dog Duster." I added.

"And their cat Tabitha." Tyler added.

"If that dog, turns up while I'm eating..." Hawkbit said, as he took another bite of the spinach. "I'll tear his ears off."

"Just keeping the spinach than, you'll grow more muscles that you could take Duster on." I said, while Tyler shook his head, as he always knows about every time his father said that, he runs off.

"And uhh... what about the cat?" Dandelion asked.

"No match for me." Hawkbit added.

"What about when you're still eating, Dad?" Tyler questioned leaving Hawkbit into silent, before resuming eating. Tyler simply shrugged his shoulders.

We started to hear a rumble of clouds, as they're heading their way towards. I looked up to see the rain started. "Well a good rain won't hurt anybody." I said.

Tyler smiled, as he turned on Gene Kelly _Singin' In The Rain_ on his Zune HD. Tyler started to whistle and hum for the opening.

I started smile to sing and dance as the rain didn't even bother me one bit.

 _I'm singin' in the rain_  
 _Just singin' in the rain_  
 _What a glorious feeling_  
 _I'm happy again_

It didn't take long, before Tyler joined in.

 _I'm laughing at clouds_  
 _So dark up above_  
 _The sun's in my heart_  
 _And I'm ready for love_  
 _For love_

We both sang and danced together proudly.

 _Let the stormy clouds chase_  
 _Ev'ryone from the place_  
 _Come on with the rain_  
 _I've a smile on my face_

 _I walk down the lane_  
 _With a happy refrain_  
 _And singing_  
 _Singing in the rain_  
 _In the rain_

Fiver, Pipkin, Hawkbit, and Dandelion watched, as they were eating to see us dancing to the rain.

"Well what do you know, a meal of _flayrah_ and a show." Hawkbit smiled.

"They have their moments again." Fiver smiled,

 _Dancin' in the rain_  
 _La la la la, la la_  
 _La la la la_

 _I'm happy again_

 _I'm singin' in the rain_  
 _And dancin' in the rain_

As they continued to watch Tyler and I danced, as we both were Gene Kelly. All we need is tuxedos with hats and umbrellas to make us the perfect match.

 _I'm dancin'_  
 _And Singing in the rain_

We both made a bow, as they cheered and applauded. Before we could go back to eating, we heard growls of a dog. We turned around to see Duster was growling and I could see a bit of drool coming out of his mouth.

"Run!" Hawkbit shouted with a mouthful of spinach in his mouth.

We started to make our getaway , until we had to fall back towards a stone hedge that we went through a hole that we made it through, before Duster tries to catch a meal perhaps. As he was digging, Tyler found a bone while Duster was still digging that he quickly scooted the bone towards Duster. He than took the bone, as if he found the bone. We took a moment letting out a sigh of relief.

"Nice of move, Tyler." I commended.

"Thanks. Every dog would like a meaty bone." Tyler stated.

"I wasn't done with that lettuce." Fiver said.

"I never even had go on the spinach." Pipkin said.

"Don't worry..." I opened up my backpack to see enough _flayrah_ in my bag, including some spinach. "...we could always store them and have enough for the whole warren."

"Oh, now what was that you said about you fighting off the dog, Hawkbit?" Dandelion asked.

"Yeah... you didn't even took on Duster." Tyler smirked.

"I said 'I'd take him on..." Hawkbit began to recall what he said, until everyone smirked. "...well if I wasn't finished eating." He resumed eating, before swallowing his spinach. "And I am."

"Well I'm not." Dandelion spoke.

"Let's go see if the dog is gone." I suggested.

Dandelion peeked through the hedge's hole. I looked up to see the sun is trying to break through the raining clouds. "Well the rain didn't last long." I stated.

"Anything at all, Dandelion?" Tyler asked.

"That dog is sitting in the middle of the spinach." Dandelion came out. "Snoring... and rolling... disgusting."

Everyone were disgusted from Duster lying on the garden, probably giving the _flayrah_ a bad smell of dog and having dog hair.

"Not the worst thing that a dog could do." I said.

"How could you say that?!" Dandelion questioned.

"Well my latest dog that my family currently have, but all he ever does is scrounge on the floor to look for scraps or get into garbage." I recalled of a family dog they still have currently.

Everyone shook their heads, even Dandelion felt more disgusted about dogs rolling around or scrounge. "Please, no more!" he begged, as I shook my head.

"It looks like the day's raid is over." Fiver said. "Might as well head for home."

* * *

We began to head our way back to our warren from our slight raid that ended with Duster chasing after us. On our way, the rain fully stopped, the sun began to shine again and a rainbow appeared out of the sky.

"Look everybody, _Prince Rainbow_ is visiting!" Pipkin spotted the rainbow and I almost forgot that they called the rainbow, _Prince Rainbow_.

"After a short rain that is." I said.

When we approached at a hill, we stopped as we spotted two strange rabbits came out of nowhere one of the was very thin and another was plump almost like the size of a bulldog. They seemed to be friendly from their friendly introduction, but curious.

"Fear not, good rabbits.." the slight dark blue rabbit spoke, until he spotted me. "... and a fine human."

"Good tidings to you, to you all of the Earth." the gray rabbit (more grayer than Hawkbit) hopped forward and nearly spoke like Barney the Purple Dinosaur from the earlier seasons of _Barney and The Backyard Gang_.

"And just who are you and where did you come from?" Hawkbit asked.

The dark blue rabbit shook his head. "Up there, thick ear, where did it look like where we came from?" After I saw the grayer rabbit tabbed the rabbit next to him, it was an imitate giveaway that I began to distrust them.

Hawkbit looked up gasped.

"You came from _Frith_?" Tyler was surprised that he even fell for it, as it seems.

"We have a message for your most illustrious leader and his renowned Captain of the _Owsla_." the gray rabbit spoke.

"And what message do you say about that?" I questioned them.

"Oh no, we cannot tell you, as we're supposed to inform the message to your chief and his captain." the blue rabbit spoke.

"You mean Hazel and Bigwig. They're our chief and captain of our warren." Pipkin spoke.

"Well... yes... these very rabbits." the gray rabbit said.

"And what do you mean... up there?" Hawkbit asked.

"Don't you see Dad, _Prince Rainbow_ coming down on Earth, they must be his messengers." Tyler answered.

All the sudden, strange as it sounds, I thought I heard a orchestra of trumpets sounding off somewhere in the distance, as I looked around, before shrugging my shoulders. "Whaaaat?!" I questioned.

"Indeed. We come from _The Kingdom of Colors_ , for we are the messengers of _Prince Rainbow_." the gray rabbit confirmed Tyler's answered.

And again, the trumpets sounded off again! The _Owsla_ rabbits were amazed and awed from the two rabbits. I was the only more confused than I was and disbelieved the minute when they announced that they came from _The Kingdom of Colors_.

"No you're not." I disagreed.

Everyone than stared at me.

"Of course we're." the dark blue rabbit spoke.

"Really? If you really are, than how did you come out of the rainbow?" I questioned.

"You mean _The Kingdom of Colors_." Tyler whispered.

Again... the trumpets sounded off and it was like I was the only one hearing it and the rabbits have no idea at all.

"We flew down with our wings." the dark blue rabbit spoke.

"Where are they now?" I questioned.

"When we come to the Earth, our wings disappear, before we're to return." the gray rabbit spoke.

"Either way, I don't think so. There's no doubt in my mind that you're basically trying to delude us one bit." I continued.

"Andrew...they sound very truthful to us." Fiver whispered.

"I don't think so." I crossed my arms, as the others fall into their story.

"Now take us to your leader." the gray rabbit requested us to take them.

We resumed of heading our way back to our warren, with the two rabbits. In our way, the gray rabbit needed assistance from climbing up the hill, as we're close. Fiver, Hawkbit, and Dandelion came to help the gray rabbit.

"So... what are your names?" I asked.

"Raincloud is mine name." the gray rabbit introduced himself.

"And I am... Bluesky." the dark blue rabbit introduced himself also.

"Not much further now..." Fiver said, as he was pushing Raincloud.

"Ohh... lovely view! I could see where we were." Bluesky looked down towards the farm.

"Say Andrew... why don't you give us a boost?" Hawkbit asked me.

"Yeah... but I prefer to walk just like I'm doing." I stated.

"In that case... why don't you, Tyler, and Pipkin... tell Hazel and Bigwig we're coming." Fiver instructed us.

"Right-o!" Pipkin hurried off, as Tyler and I followed him.

"And bring me a smidgen of _flayrah_ would you?" Raincloud asked us. "My strength is flagging."

When the three of us came up, we saw Blackberry and Primrose teaching the three kittens of certain plants, flowers, and herbs. While Clover and Hannah spoke to each other, as Clover was eating a carrot, and Kehaar was cleaning his wings.

As Hazel and Bigwig came out of the warren, the three of us met up with them.

"Good morning all, any success?" Hazel asked.

"We did, with some _flayrah_..." I pulled out my bag.

"...before Duster came along that we had to leave." Tyler stated.

"Afterwards, two rabbits came from _The Kingdom_ _of Colors_!" Pipkin exclaimed.

The fourth time... the trumpets sounded off again, while Pipkin told them about Bluesky and Raincloud, that looked all over around for the source and it went away... again!

"Actually, they're more 'mysterious visitors' that they decided to come along with us." I pointed out, as we're moving.

"I'm not keen on strange rabbits being shown the way to our warren." Hazel said.

"You don't have to worry about Bluesky and Raincloud." Pipkin assured them. "They already know about you."

"And they say that they're from _Prince Rainbow_?" Bigwig asked him.

"But they are, we saw them stepped right out of the rainbow." Pipkin answered genuinely.

I shook my head. "More like they climbed up and we came across with them."

Hazel and Bigwig wondered and became curious about them, as they went along the way.

"Clover, I need your carrot, it's emergency." Pipkin spoke to Clover.

"Wait a minute, not my mom's." Tyler refused.

"It's alright deary." Clover insisted, as Pipkin took the carrot.

Tyler remembered, as he took a carrot out of his vest-pocket and gave it to his mother.

"Thank you Tyler." she thanked him with a nuzzle.

"Your welcome." Tyler nuzzled back.

As we walked, I wondered how he got a carrot. "How did you get it?"

Tyler smiled. "Grabbed one right before Duster showed and decided to save one special carrot for my mom."

We than saw Bluesky and Raincloud coming up and made a entrance, while Fiver, Hawkbit, and Dandelion were exhausted from pushing Raincloud up. Even at one point they went passed Hazel and Bigwig and looked around the setting of the warren.

"Dashing setup, you got here." Bluesky complimented.

"They're no the sort of messengers I'd expect from _Prince Rainbow_." Hazel thought differently.

"You think?" I asked.

"Oh, they're the real thing, Hazel." Hawkbit assured Hazel and Bigwig.

"Like what Pipkin said, 'we saw them coming out of the rainbow'." Tyler recalled what Pipkin told them. "In a flash of light."

"With a strange glow..." Dandelion added. "...about their ears."

"And floating above the ground." Pipkin added as well.

"Alright, alright! That's not exactly what happened, they came at the top of a hill where we met." I decided to disperse about the rumor.

"Either way... it must been a quite a sight." Bigwig stated, before he and Hazel went up to met with Bluesky and Raincloud, as I followed them.

"I hear you have a message for us?" Hazel questioned.

"We're all ears." Bigwig was ready.

Raincloud turned towards us and sniffed from the smell of _flayrah_. "No. Not until the time is right. Until then, we must rest our considerable selves."

"And we'll need _flayrah_... for strength." Bluesky added, before the two entered the warren to rest and treating themselves to _flayrah_.

"Still... I wonder why they wanted to deliver a message to us, as they came from _Prince Rainbow_ and _The Kingdom of Colors_." Hazel was still curious.

FOR THE FIFTH TIME... the trumpets sounded off again! I looked around to see where it came from, until it disappeared again.

"Are you alright?" Bigwig asked.

"I'm fine." I shook my head gently.

"You're not jealous, are you?" Hazel smirked.

"Of course not, I just don't believe they came from... _The Kingdom of Colors_." I said, before whispering to his ears.

"Why did you whisper?" he asked.

"Because I don't to hear-"

The trumpets went out again and this time I started to become annoyed with it, as I looked Hazel and Bigwig. I let out a sigh and a deep breath. "Either way, I'll get back to you on about those two rabbits later. In the meantime, I need to form a search group to track down that dang orchestra." I said, before going back into the warren and still question about those two rabbits. Are they really from... you know where or are they're con rabbits to trick us into eating all of the _flayrah_?\

 _To Be Continued..._


	66. Episode 21 The Mysterious Visitors Part2

The Mysterious Visitors Part 2

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas in this episode.

When I walked back into the warren, I saw Bluesky and Raincloud now sleeping on Hannah's bed after devouring their _flayrah_. At that moment, I saw Tyler, Blackberry, and Hannah coming along and saw the sleeping rabbits. Hannah gasped, as those rabbits were sleeping in her bed.

"First time, seeing someone sleeping on your bed?" I asked her.

"No, no-one told me that they would be sleeping on my bed!" Hannah exclaimed.

"I don't think anyone knows about it, they simply just helped themselves." I added.

"Also they're depleting the _flayrah_." Tyler said.

"Don't you guys think they're taking advantage of you?" I asked.

"We can't say, but we'll have to treat them as guests and if we have to get _flayrah_ , we'll." Blackberry answered, as she and Hannah left.

"Tyler?" I asked.

He nodded his head. "I'm coming to an understanding that you're right. However, it's difficult to say we're because they have a convincing story."

"Perhaps we could try to convey about this to Hazel and Bigwig, maybe they could come up with something." I suggested.

"I think they'll be able to fall for the story that Bluesky and Raincloud will say." Tyler feared. "It's worth a shot."

Tyler and I thought we should go and speak to Hazel and Bigwig, until they came from outside.

"Oh, good. We need you two to help Dandelion and Pipkin with the babies for their _silflaying_." Hazel asked for our help.

"You got it!" Tyler accepted.

"Alright and Hazel, before we go I'm not sure if you two are aware of the situation of Hannah losing her bed and the _flayrah_ going shortage." I said.

"We're aware of it." Bigwig said.

"We'll discuss about this when our visitors are asleep." Hazel said, before he and Bigwig continued down the tunnel.

Tyler and I went out to see Pipkin was standing on the side watching Dandelion being dog-piled on by Hazel's kittens while tickling him. Tyler joined in the fun of it as well, since he's still a kid. He even had a brief moment that he slightly blushed when he noticed Gilia, before she nuzzled him. I couldn't help, but smiled, because it looked cute and started to picture of myself with my younger sisters and how I was with them.

"Maybe you could provide a... little assistance?" Dandelion continued to laugh from the kittens tickling him.

"You're on your." I chuckled.

"Dandelion, imagine being able to fly." Pipkin said.

"Imagine all those carrots growing at the end of the rainbow." Dandelion spoke, as the kittens continued to try to climb on him and hop around him.

"Where did you get the idea from?" Tyler asked.

"Bluesky and Raincloud. They said they flew around the world and looking down." Pipkin answered.

I sighed. I didn't believe what the rabbits said about them flying, however it would be incredible if I was able to fly around, soaring. I remember having dreams if it leads to a bad one, I was able to fly away without having to worry about what was coming behind me. "I can only imagine it too."

"Hey, next time we see one, we're gonna have a good luck are we." Dandelion said.

"Yeah... we would." I said a little depressive.

"Why don't you guys go after Andrew, while I just need to sit out for this one." Dandelion is now catching his breath.

"Attack!" Tyler ordered the kittens to charge up on me. I tried to fall back, but I couldn't be able to run fast, as Tyler and his fellow kittens tackled me to the ground and started tickling me. As I was laughing hard, because I was ticklish, I noticed that Pipkin was still looking at the sky and saw a flock of nearly blue jays across the sky.

* * *

Minutes after we helped with Dandelion and Pipkin with the kittens, they all went inside, while Dandelion was resting from the kittens tackling him, as the kittens took their naps, and Pipkin was no where close to be find. Tyler and I came back with Fiver and Hawkbit bringing back carrots for Bluesky and Raincloud.

"So far, all they've done is eat, sleep, and tell outrageous stories." we overheard Bigwig speaking to Hazel that we had to join their conversation.

"What do you guys think?" I asked.

"We think it's time to try to speak to them." Bigwig suggested.

"Any chance of them being _Efrafan_ spies?" Hazel asked Bigwig.

Tyler couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sorry. They don't look like the _Efrafans_ that I would combat, if I was being asked to challenged them."

"I guess from what Tyler says, they're not the type."Bigwig answered.

"They're laid-back." I added.

"I think it's time that we took the hair by the tail." Bigwig suggested.

The four of us walked up to Bluesky and Raincloud, as they're awaken from our shadows blocking the sun.

"It's time for _Prince Rainbow's_ message lads... or it's time to move on." Bigwig said.

"Oh quite right." Bluesky stood up, as Raincloud did also. " _Prince Rainbow_ has watched your exploits with pride."

"And he's decided you two are the smartest, bravest, most cunning rabbits running in the world." Raincloud added.

Bigwig chuckled. "We're... we're not all that good."

"In a retrospect, you two worked together as a team." Tyler added.

"With all of our help." I added also.

"And that you're." Bluesky said.

"So _Prince Rainbow_ has named, you two, the new _El-ahrairah_ and _Rabscuttle_. " Raincloud announced, before Bluesky congratulating to Hazel and Bigwig.

Tyler and I might have figured that it was a big deal for Hazel and Bigwig to be called in those titles, but we're still aware of the deceptions that those con rabbits might try to trick all four of us.

"Me? The new _Rabscuttle_? Never." Bigwig was shocked to hear that he was called the next _Rabscuttle_.

"Well, if that's the message I imagine you'll be going home to _The Kingdom of Colors_ than." Hazel said.

"Aaaahhhh alas, we're forced to remain here. We're to keep an eye on you... uhh... to make sure you are deserving of your new status." Raincloud said, as he stumbled a bit, before recovering.

Bluesky nodded. "We might be here for some time."

Tyler and I knew that they covered themselves. If they really meant what they said, they would probably return back to _The Kingdom of Colors_. And a good thing I didn't heard the trumpets going off this time.

"Me? _Rabscuttle_? Not likely." Bigwig couldn't believe of his new title while Tyler and I shook our heads.

By the time the two rabbits headed back inside the warren, the four of us gathered near the warren.

"That's it?! That was the message?" I questioned.

"I suppose so. Still I knew that I could be given that title one day." Hazel started to think like a cloud of thoughts popped in.

"As well of being the 'new' _Rabscuttle_." Bigwig added.

I made a stern face. "You guys still know that you just let them stay longer, right to devour our _flayrah_."

"And we fall for it too." Tyler said.

"Not quite." Hazel spoke. "If we're meant to be those titles that they truly said, we could follow along and not suspect them, until something happens that they would slip."

"We just hope that you two plan on something or what not, other than daydreaming like Bigwig is." I said with my arms crossed while smirking.

"I'm not daydreaming!" Bigwig exclaimed. "I'm just... pleased and honored to be called the new _Rabscuttle_."

As he hopped away, I shook my head, although in their respect they keen to be called those titles, but not from Bluesky and Raincloud.

* * *

Tyler and I remained outside, as Pipkin was outside trying to jump into the air to fly.

"Tyler, did you ever wanted to fly?" I asked.

He chuckled. "You could only fly in your dreams. Never a bad thought though."

"I know, but I always dreamed of learning to fly. I would just head out for the horizon to the sea and perhaps visiting other worlds, even here." I said.

Tyler thought deep down for a moment. "Learning... to fly."

"You thinking of something?"

"As a matter of fact, I do recall hearing the song _Learning To Fly_ by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers." Tyler said.

I gasped. "You really mean, 'The' Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers?" I asked.

"Yes, I even have it on my Zune, why?" he asked.

"I remember hearing that song. I even have it on my phone. I remember my parents liked Tom Petty, even my father." I recalled.

"What other songs you heard by them?" Tyler asked.

" _Free Fallin_ and _Running Down A Dream_ are my notable ones that I heard, rest I'm not too familiar unlike my parents." I said. "Say... what about all of us get together after those visitors leave and the both of us could sing _Learning To Fly_. I still have my guitar and I'm sure deep down you know the song as well."

"Indeed." he smiled. "I'll be honored to sing it. I'm sure Mom would like to hear another song time to time."

We both smiled and shook on it. Until, we saw Kehaar coming down and watched Pipkin, as he continues desperately to fly, even Kehaar gave a disapproval shake of his head.

"How do you suppose they fly, Kehaar?" Pipkin asked.

"Gull flies, rabbity hoppity, hoppity along the ground." Kehaar said.

"Not rocket science either." I smiled.

"Well, Bluesky and Raincloud could fly." Pipkin stated.

"Still you believe that?" I questioned him.

"Of course I do." he said. "If they could fly, so could we."

"Not so good as Kehaar!" he said, before taking off again.

"Pipkin... I'm going to tell you as a friend. Okay?" I put my hand on his shoulder, as a friend was going to give him a special advice.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Please stay away from them. I don't want you to get yourself into trouble from their idea. Even trying to fly, unless you're in a dream." I gave him advice.

"But you wanted to fly too, right?" Pipkin questioned.

I got lost from a moment from thinking about flying. "Of course, but I always knew that we couldn't, even humans can't. That's why they pilot licenses to fly."

"He's meaning to say that not all animals are meant to fly, except birds, gulls, even _elil_. You understand it better." Tyler smiled at Pipkin.

Pipkin let out a sigh and nodded his head. "Yes, I understand." I was still quite unsure that, if he fully does it or decides to pretend he does.

"Good." Tyler patted his shoulder, before Pipkin headed back to the warren. As Hawkbit, Blackberry, and Dandelion came out to _silflay_ , Tyler looked at me. "Do you think he gets it?"

I made a stern look. "I don't think so."

"Why's that?" Tyler questioned.

I placed my arm around Tyler's head and giving him some advice. "Tyler... when somebody says... 'I understand', there's two approaches. One is that he fully understood what we're trying to say to him and listened. Another, is that he just simply said that to get us off his shoulders."

"What about you, you said that a few times?" Hawkbit asked me.

"Yes... I understand." I said. "However, it doesn't mean at times I agree, disagree, that doesn't mean that I understand on non-emergency times that I don't listen."

"Than why do you say it?" Dandelion asked.

"We say that at times that we could just get people... or other rabbits happy." I answered.

"Seems reasonable." Blackberry agrees.

"Aunt Blackberry, I don't think you know full picture what he meant." Tyler said.

"I think I do." she said.

"See... no harm done. If Pipkin doesn't take it the wrong way on at times I said, at non-urgent matters, he should understand it." I said.

Moments later we saw, Pipkin cheerful as he exited out of the warren that Hawkbit, Tyler, and I watched him.

"Pipkin!" I called out to him, as he stopped turned back towards us.

"Where are you going?" Hawkbit asked.

"Just... seeing the neighboring animals." Pipkin answered.

"I hope you understand what Tyler and I said about our conversation, right?" I asked him.

"Oh yes." Pipkin answered with a smile. "I understand."

"Good." I nodded my head, as he hopped away from the down. I turned back to see Tyler crossing his arms and giving me a stern half smile look.

"Do you really think Pipkin understood our conversation?"

"Yes, I think he understands." I said nearly out loudly, that Hawkbit, Blackberry, and Dandelion stopped eating looked at me, as Tyler still is at me. "I think he doesn't."

Tyler shook his head.

"Don't blame for this, blame Charlie Harper for getting that idea." I blamed a character from _Two and A Half Men_. I even felt a sitcom laughter came on, as I was a bit embarrassed that I couldn't help, but shrugged my shoulders.

 _To Be Continued..._


	67. Episode 21 The Mysterious Visitors Part3

The Mysterious Visitors Part 3

Later in the day, Hazel and Bigwig gathered the _Owsla_ rabbits, including myself, and decided to go on _Owsla_ patrol. We're going a bit further from the down, at least still it'll be away from _Efrafa_.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" I asked Hazel.

"It'll test them to see what they say it's true about their message." Hazel answered.

"Still it was great to called the new titles." Bigwig was still humbled from the message that Bluesky and Raincloud spoke.

"Uncle Bigwig, you still know that they may be tricking you, right?" Tyler questioned.

Bigwig just smiled and shrugged his shoulders. Hazel approached to the sleeping visiting rabbits. "We're off on patrol, care to come?"

"Not really, if it's all the same to you." Raincloud answered.

"I thought _Prince Rainbow_ ordered you to keep an eye out for us." Hazel said.

Raincloud raised his head up. "Oh yes, I did say that didn't I."

"You did say it." I added.

"How else will you know, if Hazel and I are worthy to be the new _El-ahrairah_ and _Rabscuttle_?" Bigwig questioned them, before turning towards the three of us and we gave him stern looks. "And not that it's not lightly, mind you."

"Alright." Raincloud said, as he and Bluesky stood up. "But let's get a few things clear, I get to rest whenever I want and lots of _flayrah_ along the way."

"And you have to help Raincloud back up the hill. He usually flies everywhere, so he's not much on climbing." Bluesky added.

"Anything you need, anything at all." Bigwig assured them.

"Since Bigwig and I need to prove we're good enough to be the new _El-ahrairah_ and _Rabscuttle_ , we may have to do some rather dangerous things today." Hazel pointed out to the _Owsla_.

"Sounds good." Hawkbit agreed.

"Yep." Dandelion agreed.

"Fine with us." Fiver agreed also.

"You got it, Uncle Hazel." Tyler agreed.

Everyone stared at me and waited for my answer and I shrugged my shoulder and went with it. "Sure."

"Oh, no need to go over the top with the danger bit old theme." Raincloud spoke.

" _Prince Rainbow's_ fairly sure you're qualified already." Bluesky said.

"I know they're, they wanted to prove themselves in assurance." I said, as we started to leave from the down and started our patrol.

* * *

During our patrol, we journeyed down a small ravine and looked safe. Not a sight of _elil_ or _Efrafa_ patrol nearby, so much of dangerous things.

"I don't understand why we're here. There's nothing dangerous here." I said quietly to Hazel.

"Not yet, Andrew. Not yet." Tyler said.

"If we just go along, like we're doing, we'll know eventually if they're telling the truth or they're lying." Hazel said.

"Have to watch it around here, you get _stoats_ and hawks lurking about in the rocks up there." Bigwig said to Bluesky and Raincloud.

The two rabbits stopped and became nervous, as they started to look at their surroundings and above them.

"No worries though. Not many _elil_ could sneak up when I'm on the job." Bigwig assured.

" _Rabscuttle_ eat your heart." Hazel smirked at Bigwig.

"I'm just trying to be helpful." Bigwig explained.

Raincloud let out a yawn. "Oh, I found myself a tad piggish."

"I happen to know there's a nice patch of violets and dandelions over here." Bigwig said, as I was obiviously sure that under a ravine hardly anything is there, except dirt and rocks. "It's a sort of thing _Rabscuttle_ would know, don't you think?"

I looked back at Hazel. "Is Bigwig really over his head about being the new _Rabscuttle_?"

Hazel smiled and shook his head, as we finally stopped to find a patch of greens that we took our break. I was with Tyler, as we're on our break and noticed that Kehaar was starting to land on the top of the ravine. We than saw Pipkin at the edge.

"Is that Pipkin up there?" I asked him.

He looked to see Pipkin had a flower and a feather on his mouth. "He's going out of your advice and is going to trying to fly."

We got up and walked towards the edge where he's above. "Pipkin!"

He looked down to see us calling at him. "Hello Andrew and Tyler. Kehaar just came down as well." Kehaar poked his head and noticed us below.

"Now Pipkin, what are you doing up there?" I asked.

"I'm about to fly. _Flatter li-_ "

"You're not built to fly, Pipkin." Kehaar spoke. "This, this is crazy talk!"

"We're rabbits and we don't fly!" Tyler shouted.

"But the messengers said-"

"Who cares what silly rainbow rabbits say. Kehaar won't let you do this, okay?" Kehaar blocked Pipkin from the edge.

"It's not safe, m'kay." Tyler spoke.

Pipkin did a little thinking and decided to give in. "Well, if you feel that strong."

"M'kay." I said sarcastically, as I noticed that he was about to pick up his things again, until we heard a growl that Pipkin gasped.

"What is it?" I asked. He couldn't be able to response, as we walked backwards to see a wolverine. Kehaar screeched and started to dive at the wolverine to push him back.

"That's Kehaar." Hazel came.

"Something got his feathers ruffled." Bigwig wondered.

"Uncle Hazel and Uncle Bigwig, it's Pipkin and Kehaar! A wolverine is on to them!" Tyler told them.

"Pipkin?!" Bigwig questioned as he looked up to see him on the ledge. "Great _Frith_ , what's he doing up there?!"

"He... he thinks he's going to fly." Raincloud confessed.

"It's uhhh... all our fault." Bluesky confessed that they told Pipkin that he could fly.

"You told him he could fly?!" Hazel exclaimed.

"Apparently." I added.

"We didn't think he'd start by jumping off the cliff." Raincloud said.

"Well fly up there and help him!" Hawkbit exclaimed.

"Dad, they can't." Tyler said.

"It's true, we made it all up." Bluesky admitted.

Kehaar continued to defend Pipkin from the wolverine, as he continues to shout for help. We're paralyzed of thinking that if Pipkin doesn't get eaten, he would jump however it would backfire from the landing hard to the ground.

"I got it!" a bulb came through in my head. "If he could jump, we need to make a soft landing so Pipkin won't get hurt."

"Like firefighters, it makes sense!" Tyler understood. "Uncle Hazel, we need to get some soft grass and plants that could soften Pipkin's impact from falling."

Hazel looked up, as Pipkin is near the edge and there's no other option from the fact that we couldn't be able to reach up in time. "Very well, Tyler. Everyone gather all the moss, heather, and soft grass you can find. Pile here under Pipkin, move!"

We scattered to grab some soft plants and grass, before coming back to pile underneath the cliff where Pipkin would land. I even added some clothes from my bag to soften the landing a bit.

"That should do it." I said.

I looked up to see Pipkin was continuing to recite a phrase that was from the visiting rabbits and started to become hesitant to jump.

"It's alright Pipkin, jump." Bigwig shouted to him.

"Jump, Pipkin! For the love of _Frith_ , jump!" Tyler shouted.

"I don't think the spell works." Pipkin shouted.

"Of course it does. Just close your eyes and fly." Raincloud assured.

"Try to do an impersonation of 'David Caruso's career'!" I shouted.

"Whose he?" Pipkin asked.

"There's no time for questions to a pun, just jump like you're Dumbo with the feather and you'll fly!" I shouted.

"You heard the messengers, you can do it!" Hazel shouted.

Pipkin managed to pick up a feather and nearly a inch of a second, before the wolverine caught his prey, Pipkin jumped from the cliff with his eyes closed and flapping his arms in a attempt to fly. Instead, he fell straight down on a crash landing on the pile of soft plants and grass. We all rushed over to dig out the plants to pull him out of there, after he landed. He came out of the pile and was amazed from what he did.

"Did you see me? I flew!" Pipkin smiled.

Hazel and Bigwig turned back to look at Bluesky and Raincloud.

"He flew." Raincloud said, as Bluesky agreed with a nod. I didn't bother to say anything, but let it slide, as I covered my face with my hand with a slap and shook my head.

* * *

We than later returned back to the down after our patrol and saving Pipkin from the wolverine. He would tell the story to Gilia, Snowdrop, and Gilia about his experience of flying. They were amazed from hearing Pipkin's experience that I would rather let them hear what Pipkin had to say, from the fact that they're just kids and never hurts to pretend once in a while, without being in a dangerous situation. As with Bluesky and Raincloud, they told us their real confession that they meant to do this to see different lifestyles of a warren, because they're outsiders and they always search for food and a place to stay.

"It's how we live. Going from warren to warren, living the high life, and telling bold tales." Raincloud explained.

"From year on, we'll keep our stories firmly rooted on the ground." Bluesky promised. "Well it's been good end. Ta-ta."

"Look, we could always use a pair of quick-witted rabbits at Watership Down. Why don't you stay?" Hazel offered them to live with us.

"You seemed to get everyone fooled very easy and your talents could be in great use in the _Owsla_ of course." I added.

"Oh thank you, but we're vegabond rabbits. The open trail is the only way for us." Raincloud politely rejects.

"Don't worry we'll make out." Bluesky assured.

"Are you both sure?" I asked.

"We're certain. We heard tales of a warren called _Efrafa_. Maybe we stop at there for a while." Bluesky said, before following Raincloud, as they depart from the warren.

"Should we tell them?" Bigwig asked Hazel.

Hazel smiled and shook his head. "It's Woundwart that I feel sorry for."

"I made a right berk of myself, didn't I?" Bigwig smiled.

"A bit." Hazel said.

"That wasn't a bit, Bigwig, you were so conceited without doubt that you were proud of it." I disagreed.

"Come on now, I mean me. The next ' _Rabscuttle_ '. Ridiculous." Bigwig let out a fake laugh.

"I said, sort of." I added.

"Quite." Hazel said.

"You never believed them at all." Bigwig said.

"It looked like he did, but he was more sarcastic than you're." I said.

"I suppose you're right." Bigwig admitted. "Still, how'd you see through their story when no one else did?" he than asked Hazel, as we're heading back to the tree.

"Oh, I'm the next ' _El-ahrairah'_. Remember?" Hazel answered.

"Hey... you better watch what you said." I said, as everyone started to laugh, as we settled down in our warren.

* * *

The sun is setting and I was out alone watching the sky turn orange, as the sun began to set. I was leaning my head and back towards the tree and saw a flock of birds flying by, until they reached towards the distance that I couldn't be able to see them anymore. I continued to wonder about wanting to fly, if I was able to despite where I came from and I couldn't. Not flying a plane, but be able to soar freely without worrying where you may end up going. I had my guitar with me and started to strum the cords and sang hum quietly to Tom Petty's _Learning To Fly_.

"There you are ol' chum." I looked over to see Dandelion with Tyler and Sandy, as they came out of the warren.

"I knew you'll be out here." Tyler said.

"Not surprising?" I asked him.

I shook his head. "Not a bit." I spoke, as I continued to strum the guitar.

"I know this song!" Sandy exclaimed, as she came over and sat next to me.

"Pardon me, what song is it?" Dandelion asked.

"It's called _Learning To Fly,_ Uncle Dandelion." Tyler answered, as he joined me and Sandy by the tree.

"Well so much of Pipkin wanting to fly, I might as well hear the song." he said, as he took a nib of grass, as he watched and listened, as I started to play the guitar for the opening notes and the three of us sang together, as if we're _Lady Antebellum_.

 _Well I started out down a dirty road_  
 _Started out all alone_  
 _And the sun went down as I crossed the hill_  
 _And the town lit up, the world got still_

 _I'm learning to fly (learning to fly), but I ain't got wings_  
 _Coming down (learning to fly) is the hardest thing_

 _Well the good old days may not return_  
 _And the rocks might melt and the sea may burn_

 _I'm learning to fly (learning to fly), but I ain't got wings (learning to fly)_  
 _Coming down (learning to fly), is the hardest thing (learning to fly)_

 _Well some say life will beat you down_  
 _Break your heart, steal your crown_  
 _So I've started out, for God knows where_  
 _I guess I'll know when I get there_

 _I'm learning to fly (learning to fly), around the clouds_  
 _But what goes up (learning to fly), must come down_

 _I'm learning to fly (learning to fly), but I ain't got wings_  
 _Coming down (learning to fly), is the hardest thing_

 _I'm learning to fly (learning to fly), around the clouds_  
 _But what goes up (learning to fly), must come down_

 _I'm learning to fly (learning to fly) x2_

"What a wonderful song!" Dandelion complimented.

"It is Uncle Dandelion, it's a warming song. We could soar towards our accomplishments and dreams, without giving up, despite going through obstacles there's always hope." Tyler explained.

"When I kept hearing that song, I dreamed that I could fly away and be free." I said.

"Where would you go?" Dandelion asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Anywhere I suppose. Even here."

Dandelion smiled. "If my ears are correct, it sounds like you did fly yourself here."

I chuckled from the fact that my head was hit hard on a falling branch, in retrospect I did came with Walter and we flew here to United Kingdom to explore. "I guess you can say that."

"Well, I'm off _Frith_ is leaving soon and the moon may be full tonight." Dandelion said as he went back to the warren.

Sandy got close to me that Tyler wanted to excuse himself so that we could have our privacy and he may wanted to spend some time with Gilia or with his mother. Finally, we're alone.

"You sang great." I complimented. "You both did."

She smiled. "Not much of a singer, but I just try to sound about right."

"Me neither, but I try too." I said. "If you wanted to fly, where would you go?"

"Anywhere." she said.

"Really?"

"Just anywhere to get away from the world for a bit or visit somewhere I haven't been for a long time." she said.

"I would rather fly to Bodega Bay and sleep there, without having to worry about city and the world." I said, as the wind started to blew towards us.

We both snuggled with one of my blankets and shared a kiss underneath the peach tree, and later we watched the sun disappear and the stars began to shine, as well the moon being fully round, as Dandelion guessed and he was right. I would than dream that Sandy and I would be able to fly anywhere to get out of a bad dream and soar across the sky, without worrying about coming. However in the end of the dream, we have to come down and wake up back to reality.

 _To Be Continued..._


	68. Episode 22: The Invasion Prologue

The Invasion Prologue

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas for this prologue.

 _Flashback begins_

One night, when I was beside my mom back at Nuthanger Farm, everyone else is a sleep except me. The rain poured, as I tried to be close beside her, but every time a lightening strike I always keep waking up or I'm unable to fall asleep. I started to hear tiny feet coming towards me. I got up and looked through where I was still in a cage. Up came was a small brown mouse.

"Hello, long ears." she spoke.

"Uh.. hello." I said. "What are you doing here in a night like this, in a stormy weather?"

"Finding some food, I was searching for food in the barn, without going into the house, because of Tabitha." she answered.

"Yeah, the cat always lurks every corner." I said.

"So, why're you still awake?" she asked me.

"I bit terrified at storms like this. I even have dream that I was never adopted and I roamed the world in dark clouds creating a rainy storm." I answered.

"How horrible." she felt sorry.

"Well, at least I'm with my newly adopted mom now, Clover." I said. "However, I still have trouble sleeping at the night like this, because booms of thunder and lightening strikes."

The mouse looked around probably to see if Tabitha was nearby, but I even assured her that a cat would prefer to be inside the house in a weather like this.

"Maybe it'll help that I stay with you tonight." Hannah offered.

"I don't want to trouble you searching for food." I tried to refuse.

"I'll be alright. I could always search when you're asleep and/or at least until the storm clears." she smiled.

"Why, thank you." I felt grateful.

"Your welcome and the name's Hannah." she introduced herself.

"I'm Tyler Damien." I greeted. She climbed through the steel cage bars, as I lie down. She than cuddled and snuggled close to my face that I got very comfortable and my nerves faded that I was able to fall asleep minutes after she cuddled and started making snoozing sounds that made me smile.

 _Flashback ended_

* * *

Hazel, Fiver, and myself were hurrying back to our warren, as the rain began to pour hard. Originally, we're out doing our walk in the late night to look for stars and probably finding _flayrah_. However, due to the rain and the storm was brewing, Hazel decided that we should head back, because what they say, "strange things happen in stormy nights". We just finished climbing up the hill and started making our way towards the warren's entrance, I saw a bolt of lightening striking a branch of the peach tree. Surprising the three of us, we continued to hurry, as Hazel made it in and Fiver and myself dived inside, as the branch nearly closing the path.

I sighed and let out a relief. "Good thing it didn't happen twice."

"I suppose, however it would have hit your back." Fiver said.

"Maybe, but hey I would probably get some time off from work having an injury though." I joked.

Fiver shook his head, before the three of us looked outside, as the storm continued, with a flash of lightening and thunder boomed making us gasp.

"Strange things happen on nights like this." Fiver said.

"As long they happen out here." Hazel said.

"At least it won't happen again striking the same place twice. Besides, I loved this kind of weather." I said.

"You're not even spooked from it?" Fiver questioned.

"Sometimes, if I was wondering out of the streets maybe, but if it was hailing, I would be inside." I answered.

"Well I off to bed, see you both in the morning." Hazel said. "Goodnight."

"I'm off as well, goodnight." Fiver followed Hazel.

"Goodnight you two." I said.

I than started heading my way towards my burrow, as I started to hear everyone snoozing in their burrows.

"It really is a stormy night. I sure hope t-" Before I made it to my burrow that's when I saw what probably seemed like the cutest thing I've ever seen in my whole life. I came by to Tyler's burrow and I came to notice that Tyler, asleep like a baby, while he was... cuddling Hannah. And from the look on her snoozing face, she didn't seemed to mind at all. In fact, it's like Hannah was cuddling with Tyler as well.

"Aww. I gotta get a picture of that." I got out my phone and took a picture of the two of them asleep. As I got to my burrow and getting into my night clothes, I covered in blankets and my sleeping bag, as I listened to the rain and the thunder raging. Before falling asleep, I looked at my gallery to see my recent picture of Tyler and Hannah asleep. I couldn't help, but smiled from the cuteness of it that I went to sleep with a smile.

 _To Be Continued..._


	69. Episode 22: The Invasion Part 1

The Invasion Part 1

Author's Note: Hi folks, sorry for the long wait, busy with work and taking my down time, please forgive me. Here's the first part episode for The Invasion and enjoy. Also, letting you know that I have released my new story called _The American Doughboy_ , feel free to read it and let me know what you think. Thank you!

I managed to sleep after a stormy night, until it was about in the morning that I started to hear sheep bleating. At first I thought it was probably my phone that I checked and see it wasn't. After putting it on mute and trying to get back to sleep, the bleating came back.

"Hey, knock it off!" I shouted, as I was trying to go back to sleep. Seconds in, another bleat of sheep was going off, that I buried myself underneath my blankets and try to go back asleep. Finally there were more bleating going off that I gave up and decided to see what was going on. After getting dressed, I came to noticed a few rabbits were still sleeping and probably enjoying it, before the sheep could bleat again repetitively. When I got to the Honeycomb, I saw nearly everyone was awake.

"What is going on here?! I feel like I can't even sleep in." I asked.

"I'm sorry, Andrew." Hazel apologized.

"Sounds like a flock of sheep followed you guys home last night." Tyler answered.

I started to hear the sheep bleat again. "Really? Hazel, Fiver, and I were in a hurry. It doesn't seem possible."

"It does at a sense." Blackberry said.

I decided to follow Hazel and Bigwig to look outside of the warren, as the the rest followed. The fallen branch was still there from last night's lightening strike that lightly obstruct our view. Until Bigwig and I managed to move the branch of the way, the three of us gazed at what we're seeing.

"Great _Frith_." Hazel calmly shocked.

We saw the flock of sheep roaming around the tree and the down itself. Some were eating, some were sleeping, and some are just standing there doing nothing at all.

"I don't believe it." Bigwig shook his head with a groan.

"Well... we could always count sheep at nights and we could go sleep." I said.

"What happens if you count them all?" Tyler asked me.

"Just recount them again or double count." I said.

Tyler smirked. "You only do it for one sheep per count."

"How do you suppose they ended up here?" Dandelion asked, as he and the others came out of the warren.

"Didn't I tell you, strange things happen on 'stormy nights'?" Fiver questioned.

"That might be the case, probably their gate got loose or broke from a falling branch that led them to escape." I summed up.

"Oh look at them. Brainless louts, all they do is wander around and eat." Bigwig moped.

"What about us?" Tyler questioned. "In another half of the times we do same thing like they do."

"What are we going to do about them, Hazel?" Dandelion turned towards Hazel and asked.

"There's plenty of room. I don't see any harm of sharing the down with them." Hazel answered.

"Really." I said.

"Yes, really." Hazel said back to me.

"Ha! Don't know much about sheep then do you?" Captain Broom questions Hazel.

"I wouldn't think there's so much to know, Captain Broom." Hazel answered.

"We're in for a flock of trouble, my boy. Mark my words." Captain Broom said, before re-entering the warren.

A sheep headbutted Bigwig, as it was going for a chew on the fresh grass that Bigwig was standing on. "Hey, watch it clumsy!" Bigwig scorned.

However, the sheep just chewed in front of him, before leaving the spot, as another sheep came to the same spot where the other sheep was and started eating. Some reason in my mind, I started to think of a funny moment from one of the episodes _The Apprentice L.A._ that one of the losing team members eat a bag chips, as two other team members watched. Just remembering it, as I watched the sheep on how it eat was funny.

"Well, at least it wasn't an army of enemy rabbits raiding the grass." I said a light joke.

"No, but we'll just have to keep an eyes open for now." Hazel said.

* * *

And so, we just continued throughout the morning like any other. I decided to join Tyler with Hawkbit, Dandelion, and Kehaar for breakfast. Although, I got tired of eating grass, I managed to have a small box of Raisin Branand managed to have a canister with milk from this morning's raid. I poured the cereal into a bowl that I took off, poured the milk and started eating.

"What's that?" Hawkbit asked.

"Raisin Bran." I answered.

"Raisin Bran?" Hawkbit questioned.

I chuckled.

"It's a tasty, healthy cereal Dad. It has wheat flakes with raisins." Tyler explained. "And how did you get the box of cereal, Andrew?"

"I suppose, I was wandering at the market at that time, perhaps or maybe I had it for a while. I can't remember. Maybe from the market." I answered, before taking a scoop and starting to eat.

"Well..." Dandelion finished eating. "...I say Campion should come and join us now."

"I agree." I agreed.

"Kehaar say too. Campion's a lonely sad rabbit." Kehaar agreed.

Tyler sighed. "Me too Uncle Dandelion. However, he's hesitant to leave, despite of helping us. I remembered when I asked him, while I was visiting in _Efrafa._ He was still determined to remain there without leaving _Efrafa_ forever. It took a hard long truth for me to find out about it."

Hawkbit placed his paw on Tyler's back. "I know son and it's not your fault. However, we can't force him. He thinks he could do more for us by staying in _Efrafa_."

"Sooner or later, he'll stumble and Woundwart would send him off to visit _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_." Dandelion said.

"Not Campion, he's too crafty for that." Hawkbit said.

"I don't know. The last he was close to be killed, if hasn't been for us." I said.

"Even a nasty dream you have with a Disney classic." Tyler said.

I froze when I started to picture what I had dreamed, before we helped Campion. "Oh please, Tyler not while I'm eating or during anytime. How did you hear about it?"

"Dad told me." Tyler answered and I looked at Hawkbit, as he was still eating.

"Sorry chum." he apologized.

"Not at all." I assured him, before they made an unusual face as I was going to eat more of the cereal with a spoon. I started to have a bad taste, as I started to taste that someone got into a bowl of cereal. Than out of nowhere, a sheep started to eat my bowl of cereal, that I just poured it out.

"Ah! Oh, do you mind?!" Dandelion questioned, as another sheep cut in front of him and started to devour the small flowers that Tyler, Dandelion, and Hawkbit were eating.

"We're eating here!" Hawkbit exclaimed.

"Yeah! You stomp of Kehaar's crabs!" Kehaar exclaimed, as he was eating a meat of crab. A sheep came behind him that Kehaar was nearly stomped on.

"Hey! Are you hard of hearing or just thick?!" Hawkbit continued to question them, as they didn't answer.

"I don't know if they really talk to us at all." Tyler said to Hawkbit.

"Maybe if you could try to find someone does, I think Pipkin is trying it out now." I pointed at Pipkin is trying to communicate with a sheep, but it remained silent.

"I'll go see. Maybe if we do find someone, we could be able to try to convince them to leave." Tyler said, before joining with Pipkin.

* * *

I decided to head back into the warren to see if I could have some quiet time, without hearing so much sheep bleating. I was near to my burrow, until I saw Hazel was sleeping. However, it didn't last a bit long until sheep noises continued to bleat.

"Hi sleepyhead, trying to nap?" I asked.

"Tried to doze on the sunshine, but the sheep won't shut up!" Hazel complained.

"Yeah... I know how you feel. Where I came from, if there's a party going on, it's hard for me to sleep at night." I said.

"How did you sleep?" Hazel asked.

"When I was little, we had a radio that we could put some music that could help us sleep on quiet music." I answered.

"Did it help?" he asked.

"It did little when I was little. However, until I would put some on background noise to help me sleep: like ocean waves, peaceful countryside hills, or snowy mountains."

"Even nights here, we would hear the wind blow." Hazel added.

"That too." I smiled.

"Hazel!" we heard Bigwig calling for him. "Hazel, where are you?"

"In here, Bigwig." Hazel answered.

Came in Bigwig and saw us. "Oh, Andrew. I didn't know you were in here. What are you two doing hiding back there?"

"We couldn't be able to get some peace and quiet from the sheep. Even still hearing them from here." I said.

"Hmmm... that's the least of it. Captain Broom said we'd have problems with them. Well, come have a look." Bigwig said, before we followed back outside to see the flock of sheep continues to wander around the down and eating the patches of grass and flowers.

"Cast your eyes on that!" Bigwig said.

"Bigwig, we already seen it. Sheep continuing to wander and eat like this morning." I said.

"Yes, but they're tearing up the grass by the roots. I'm telling you they won't grow back." Bigwig said.

"At this rate, they'll turn the down into a wasteland!" Dandelion added.

"As it is they're forcing us out of all the best patches of clover." Fiver was down.

"Rotten bullies." Hawkbit cursed at the sheep.

"Don't worry Dad, they'll grow back." we heard Tyler coming towards us.

"I beg your pardon?" he questioned.

"You see Uncle Bigwig, when the rain comes back, it'll regrow the grass." Tyler answered.

"Tyler's right! We already seen the rain from yesterday, maybe perhaps days later, if it rains again, it would grow the grass back and greener again by nature." I answered.

Seconds came to see Captain Broom and Hannah coming towards us, probably inspecting the flock of sheep.

"Ohh, they make a big mess those sheep." Hannah said.

"I warned you about this mob." Captain Broom told us.

"Something's got to be done, Hazel." Hawkbit said.

Hazel started to think of moment, but it wasn't going to be a bit easy, because we're facing sheep and they don't talk. "If maybe we could make them understand, what they're doing to the grass they'll stop."

I made a noise, while holding back a laugh.

Hazel turned towards me. "You don't think it's a good idea?"

"Not really, we're already know sheep doesn't speak to us, and I guarantee you they won't speak to me." I answered.

"You can't get a sheep to understand anything. Too dreaded stubborn they're." Captain Broom agreed.

"That goat seemed to be in charged." Fiver spotted a goat, as we turned to see a grey goat eating some grass and/or flowers nearby and staring at us.

"Now why's he wandering around a load of sheep is behind me." Dandelion wondered.

"Fact is sheep sometimes follow a goat or bunch." Captain Broom said.

"Don't forget Uncle Broom, they would follow each other by one sheep taking a lead, follow sheepdogs, and also shepherds." Tyler added.

"Well if he's the boss, I'll just go and have a stiff word with him." Bigwig decided.

"Uh, Uncle Bigwig that won't be a brighten of an idea to do." Tyler disagrees.

"Not a good idea." Hannah agreed.

"Couldn't agree more." Captain Broom said. Not much to listening to others a bit sometimes that he goes on his own way, Bigwig hopped his way to speak with the goat, as it glared at him, while chewing it's meal.

"Look mate, why don't you take your sheep and clear off. We're here first." Bigwig spoke to the goat.

The goat continues to chew and not say a word. All the sudden, the goat huffed and puffed, as it was preparing for a charge with it's hoof.

"See. It's all in how you talk to him." Bigwig turned back towards us and smiled.

We all gasped, as we saw the goat charging up at Bigwig, without a warning to him, he was than tossed into the air and landed hard near the warren's entrance. The goat huffed and puffed almost like a bull, before going back to it's meal. We all circled around Bigwig to see if he's alright.

"Oh Great _Frith_ , they killed Bigwig!" Tyler exclaimed.

I went over to see Bigwig was still breathing. "He's not even close to being dead. He just got tossed into the air, like a rider bailed from bull at a rodeo."

"Rotten scoundrel!" Bigwig exclaimed. "Maybe I wasn't looking!"

"Well... we did try and tell you." Hannah said.

"Sheep are stubborn ol' stick and goats, well they're diabolical." Captain Broom reminded us.

Bigwig got up and shook himself off from being tossed by a goat.

"Are you hurt?" I asked.

"Nothing at all." Bigwig answered. "Next time make your warnings a tad clearly, would you?" Bigwig felt a bit of pain from his hind leg that he went inside the warren to try to give it a rest.

"Andrew, I need to talk to you for a moment." Tyler spoke to me that we went to aside and spoke privately.

"What is it, Tyler?" I asked.

"Pipkin and I managed to speak to one of the sheeps." Tyler answered.

"Really?"

"Actually, a lamb to put it." Tyler clearfied.

"What did it say?" I asked.

"At first, Pipkin and I were jumping with the lamb to reach towards a butterfly. We greeted ourselves, as the lamb was quiet. Until, he looked around and told us that his name was Frost and we're not allowed to talk to him." Tyler told me.

"Why's that?" I asked.

"'Because we're rabbits', that's all he said, before he hopped away." Tyler continued.

"Maybe perhaps, we could try to speak with, 'Frost' more to know more about sheep. For all we know is that they don't speak to us or listen to us, probably except their own or the goat." I suggested.

"Great, Pipkin went off to find Frost and you could meet him." Tyler thought.

We started to look for Pipkin and for the lamb called "Frost". I'm not too sure, if he'll be able to help us, but it'll be interesting to know more about them and probably finding a way to get the sheep off the down, before they could eat the whole grass, before the next Spring rain would come.

 _To Be Continued..._


	70. Episode 22: The Invasion Part 2

The Invasion Part 2

Author's Note: First I would like to thank randomkungfupandafan for the closing of this episode. Secondly, I'm sorry for the delay and I also published another work also _The American Doughboy_. Feel free to read what I got so far and review on what you think of it so far. Although it's still in progress, it may also be awhile until probably after Season 2 of _Watership Down Series_ I might resume the latest work. Stay Tuned!

I followed Tyler towards the rocky edges of the down to see Pipkin was following a snowy, white lamb that it maybe "Frost".

"What's wrong with rabbits than?" Pipkin asked the lamb.

"I don't know. Maybe it is the ears." the lamb answered.

We noticed that Pipkin felt offended from what the lamb said that Tyler chuckled. The lamb looked up towards.

"Oh, more friends." the lamb spoke.

"Indeed, Frost. This is my good friend Andrew." Tyler introduced me.

The lamb froze, as he was nervous of looking at me.

"Hi." I greeted.

"I never spoke to a human before." Frost spoke.

"If I was someone else, it would be different?" I asked.

"Nope." he said.

"Don't you find out about other animals than?" Pipkin was climbing his way from the rocky slope.

"Oh yes, but my mother says, 'we don't talk to rabbits, cows, ducks, or horses,' or anybody really." Frost answered.

"Wow, so much about not talking to strangers." I said in shock.

"Still, how'd you find out about things without talking to your neighbors?" Pipkin asked. "I mean there's so much to learn."

"Not if you're a sheep." Frost answered.

"Why not? I seen things from the rabbits that I learned so much." I said.

"Well, mother says: 'sheep know all need to know'." Frost mentioned from his mother.

"Even if there's danger or something that you never crossed?" I asked.

"Yes."

Before we could continue, we were covered by a shadow and a screech that was a hawk soaring above us.

"An eagle! Run Frost!" Pipkin and Tyler warned Frost. We started to head our way back towards the down, as the eagle was heading towards Pipkin's direction. Eventually, I found a stick that I was able to carry and try to swish the hawk away. It only backfired, sort of, as the hawk managed to clang on the stick and carried me with it. I heard Pipkin and Tyler shouting for me. Before I was taken off and the hawk could probably find another meal, the goat was about to ready to charge up to the hawk. Clever for the hawk, it started to fly away, without being detected, I let go from the stick landed hard on the grass on my bottom.

"Andrew, are you alright?" Pipkin asked.

"Yeah, a fresh pile of grass broke my fool." I said.

"Now it seems that we have another probably. _Elil_ being attracted from sheep." Tyler said. "Mostly hawks, next thing we may know is that a pack of wolves or a fox could wander here."

"We have to let Hazel and the others know." I suggested. We all nodded and headed our way back to the warren.

* * *

When we got back inside and met up with everyone at the Honeycomb, Pipkin told everyone in the warren of the encounter we had with the eagle that it nearly got me, Pipkin, and Tyler. Apparently, if it hasn't been with the goat, we'll probably be eagle.

"His claws were bigger as tree roots and a great short beak that could bite through stone." Pipkin finished.

"Are you sure it was an eagle, Pipkin?" Bigwig asked.

"We're positively sure, at least it wasn't the American Bald Eagle." I assured Bigwig.

"Andrew, they're only from North America." Tyler said.

"I know that, just to think of it, if it was." I said.

"We've never had one on the down before." Blackberry said.

"And we've never have spring lambs on the down before." Captain Broom added. "Big _elil_ like eagles, follow the flocks looking for a meal."

"Usually they've got a grouchy goat to defend them." Hannah said.

"Wonderful. Sheep attract _elil_." Hazel complained.

"Being soft and woolly, doesn't really make up for their shortcomings does it?" Hawkbit added.

"We better keep the babies underground during the day. They could eat after dark I suppose." Blackberry feared.

"However, we may have to be careful on that too, owls may be on their night hunt, Aunt Blackberry." Tyler added.

"Very well, the rest of us _silflay_ in pairs with one keeping watch." Hazel restricted for the _silflay_ for now until it's solved.

"And nobody goes more than a quick bolt from the warren." Bigwig added also.

"I'm starting to quite dislike sheep." Hawkbit said.

"You probably have mentioned about it before, Dad." Tyler added.

During the rest of the late morning to the afternoon, we all had to pair, as we go on our _silflay_. At one instance, I went along with Fiver and noticed the goat was starting to eat the tree's bark, but it continued after Fiver politely warned the goat about the warren being destroyed, only to get a huff and puff in return on Fiver. Pipkin and Tyler paired, as they spoke with Frost again, as I was later told that they came to the warren, as yesterday's storm that they had to follow the goat, as the fence was broke. Finally, Hawkbit and Dandelion paired off as usually to find what's left of food, and probably found a pile of clover further away from the warren and towards the edge of the down. However, their _silflay_ was cut short as an eagle started to soar around the down that the two took cover by hiding underneath the sheep.

"A right pair of twits! After I told them to stay close to the warren." Bigwig scorned. "I'll tear a strip off of them, I will."

As that was going, Fiver saw the goat was eating the tree's bark once more. "Get away! Go eat some Nettles! We've got to make him stop eating our tree."

"One crisis at a time Fiver." Hazel remained Fiver.

"Andrew, do you know much about sheep?" Bigwig asked me.

"I'm not a shepherd, but I'm pretty sure know how to get them off the down, even Captain Broom knows about them also." I answered.

"What is it?" Fiver asked.

"We may need to get a sheep dog to clear them off the down, even lambs too." I went on.

"It may be temporary, unless the lambs are too big to carry off, I imagine the eagle will move on." Hazel hesitate.

"The next food chain would be us rabbits, Uncle Hazel." Tyler came out of the warren. "It spotted the both of us Andrew and myself, along with Pipkin. It would be in a matter of time."

All the sudden, we saw Hawkbit and Dandelion were hopping towards that out of our surprise, they jumped on us, as they were trying to make a dive. The seven of us have been rolled into the warren, until we bumped into a walling. Bigwig and myself were squashed and piled on, as everyone else on top of us, except Tyler, who was the very top of the pile.

"This is getting a bit thick, Hazel." Dandelion said.

"We got to get those sheep off our down!" Hawkbit exclaimed.

"And stop that goat from eating our tree." Fiver agreed.

"I guess that's our answer, we just have to get a sheepdog to do it." Tyler said.

"I agree... however I do feel like I wanted to take a selfie in a pile like this, but I can't reach my phone." I said.

"First... why do the lot of you get off my back!" Bigwig's voice was deep from being piled on.

"Nevermind, I agree." I agreed also, since my back would be sore from being piled on. Before we could get off, we saw a flash that I came to realize it was my phone and Sandy is the one who took it.

"Sorry..." she laughed. "You guys looked very cute like that!"

The seven of us got off from each other standing back up. "Sandy... can you come over for a second?"

"Nope." she smirked.

"Can I least have my phone please?" I asked.

"Uh uh." she smiled, before she hurried deep into the warren.

"Get her!" I exclaimed as all of us hurried after her, and I was thinking in my mind that she would probably post it some sort.

* * *

After our little incident and managed to get my phone back from our friendly feud, we met back at the Honeycomb deciding to plan our solution to the sheep problem.

"Well Captain Broom, it seems like you're our sheep expert. Is there any way to get rid of them?" Hazel asked.

"The only one, who can deal with sheep is a sheepdog, simple as that." Captain Broom answered.

"Yeah he's right." Hannah agreed.

"We could always try a pig too, if we can't find one." I joked.

They gave me a stern look. "Or not."

"But it appears this lots have given their dog the slip." Captain Broom added.

"The reason why Uncle Broom, is that Pipkin and I found out from Frost that they had escaped from their pasture during the last night's storm." Tyler said.

"Well... there you have it! Only one solution, fetch their dog to herd them back where they belong." Captain Broom summed up.

"Awwww... now we get to have a dog, I just hope it's beagle like Snoopy." I smiled.

"Uh, Captain Broom... we've got sheep, an eagle, and now you want a dog up here." Bigwig doubts.

"No it's quite perfect! We just have to have the dog go after us or I could have the dog search for the herd." I added.

"Oh great, why don't we invite a fox or a weasel while we're at it!" Hawkbit complained.

"It's that or watch the down stripped bare!" Captain Broom exclaimed.

"Uncle Broom is right, Dad. We can't let the sheep eat away our _flayrah_ even you wouldn't tolerate it." Tyler insisted.

"If a dog has sheep to herd, he won't bother with us." Captain Broom added.

"Very well than. It looks like we're off to fetch a dog than." Hazel decided.

Hazel lead us: Bigwig, Fiver, Hawkbit, Dandelion, Tyler, and myself to fetch a sheepdog to bring over to the down to clear off the sheep. As we're heading our way, the eagle spotted us, that we followed Bigwig's "zig-zag" procedure when it comes to flying _elil_. At the same time, from the clever idea from Hawkbit and Dandelion, from seeing them before pouncing on us, we took cover underneath a sheep if the eagle was close to getting to us by it's claw. Shortly afterwards though, we arrived in the woods that the eagle headed back towards the down to soar above the tree.

"I thought that eagle was going to chase us all the way to 'The Big Water'." Bigwig thought.

"Let's hope we don't have to go that far to find a sheepdog." Hazel hoped.

"I know that the last place that Walter and I came across was a small pasture with sheep." I started to remember one of the last places that I hiked with Walter, before being separated.

"The same one where Frost mentioned?" Tyler asked.

"Yes, I'm sure." I was certain, as I started to take a lead, as Tyler and Hazel joined me with the three of us heading the way to the pasture to find a sheepdog. We continued our journey, until we passed through a stone hedge that we spotted a broken fence that the tree broke from an apparent lightening strike.

"This must be the place, it matches the story Pipkin got from lamb." Hazel realized.

"Than let's see if the dogs are home." Bigwig said, as we headed towards a SUV that we hid underneath and spotted a border collie lying on the doorstep and sleeping.

"Long hair, short ears." Hazel described the dog that matches to a sheepdog, according to Captain Broom. "She fits Captain Broom's description."

"Awww... she's so cute." I gazed at the dog that I wanted to play with the dog.

"Alright we found her, now how do we get her back to the down?" Hawkbit asked.

"She wants her sheep, we know where they're, I'll just tell her." Hazel suggested.

"Have you gone around the twist Hazel?" Bigwig questioned.

"It won't be the brightest decision, since Bigwig tried to communicate with the goat." I mentioned.

"Wait here." Hazel said and went off.

"Hazel, wait!" I tried to stop him, but it was too late and I shook my head.

"What do you think?" Bigwig asked.

"It's not going to work, remember the goat, and Duster back at the farm?" I questioned.

"Right." Bigwig remembered.

We started to listen to Hazel try to communicate with the dog. "Hello, I'm Hazel. If you come with us, I'll take you to your sheep."

The border collie started to growl at Hazel. "Oh boy." I said.

"Oh well, sorry to bother you." Hazel got nervous and started to run, as the dog went after him.

"It's a sheepdog not a hunting dog." Fiver said.

"A dog's nature to go after someone below them." Tyler pointed out.

"He'll be alright, won't he?" Fiver worried.

"I'm sure he'll be fine, Fiver. Don't worry." I assured him.

"Come on Hazel!" Hawkbit hoped that Hazel would out run the dog. We than saw Hazel coming behind us panting from the dog chasing after him.

"I thought Captain Broom said she wouldn't bother with us, if there were sheep to herd." Hazel panted.

"Boy... that really blows." I said.

"I beg your pardon?" Hazel questioned.

"I'm sure like Duster they don't speak to us. Besides, the sheep are not with us, they're back at the warren." I reminded him.

"Maybe you should try Andrew, you seemed to be a dog person." Hazel thought.

"Yeah, but I'm small." I stated.

"Even still human, you could be able to tell the dog, even by playing with him." Tyler added.

I sighed and took a deep breath. "Alright, I'll do it."

"If it doesn't work or we find another plan we'll let you know with Hawkbit." Hazel said.

"Me?" Hawkbit questioned.

I nodded my head and walked towards the dog and noticed dog's fur color was black and white. I whistled to get her attention and she lifted her head up.

"Hello." I spoke gently. "Come here."

The dog stood and slowly walked towards, as she sniffed my hand. I reveal a carrot that I saved. "Sit." The dog successful sit.

"Lie down." I commanded and the dog did. "Now come."

The dog started to follow until it growled to see Hazel and the others still underneath the SUV.

"No no no no. They're friends. Come." I told the dog, as I still show the dog the carrot. The dog stopped growling, as it turned towards me and sniffed the carrot and took a bite.

"Good girl." I commended with a gentle pet. I started to make a run and the dog started to follow me. "Come on!"

I started to run further a bit and waited for the dog to catch up with me. She continued to follow me the same path that we took and a few points that she sniffed Hazel and the _Owsla_ 's trails, but I recourse her back to following me, as I was trying to show her the herd of sheep. It wouldn't be until another nine minutes that we managed to get up there and I gave the dog the rest of the carrot and petted her for following the good commands that I instructed her. After finishing the carrot, the dog spotted the sheep at the down that she barked and started to herding and regrouping the sheep.

"Thank _Frith_." I heard Hazel coming behind me with the _Owsla_. "I never thought you will be able to pull it off."

"That's why I'm a dog person." I said.

Towards the early evening as the sun began to set, the sheep are starting to leave the down. Pipkin and Tyler were saying their goodbyes to Frost, as I headed over there.

"Next time I meet a rabbit, I'm going to talk to him even if I'm not supposed to." Frost said.

"That's good suggestion, you'll be able to learn more everyday." Tyler agreed.

"Just don't get into trouble because of us." Pipkin friendly warned Frost.

"Friends are worth of a little trouble, don't you think?" Frost stated.

"Well I guess you're right." Pipkin said.

"It's also nice to meeting with you as well 'human'." Frost said.

"You too Frost." I said, before he left to join the herd, as the dog is nearly done of gathering the herd.

"Good riddance to them." Bigwig stated.

"I guess you're happy they're now leaving." I said.

"Indeed." he replied back.

"We like Frost." Pipkin stated.

"I agree with Pipkin, we did some games together, as well we talked to each other as well." Tyler added.

"Well I suppose lambs are acceptable. The trouble is they grow up to be sheep." Captain Broom stated.

"Everyone grows up eventually though." I pointed out.

"A good deal better than growing up to be a raabb-bit, I venture." a sheep spoke that surprised Captain Broom and myself.

"Did... did sheep just spoke to us?" I questioned, but everyone just shrugged their shoulders to watch them leave, even though the sheep were finally off our hill, I couldn't help feeling their antics were child's play in comparison to something worse approaching towards. Soon eventually, but not yet though.

 _To Be_ Continued...


	71. Episode 23: Bigwig's Way Part 1

Bigwig's Way Part 1

Days after of dealing with the herd of sheep's mishap and a few stormy nights, everything was back to normal of having a clear nights that we're able to sleep peacefully. Although, now a days in the early morning as if it was six o'clock in the morning, as everyone is still asleep including myself as I decided to shut off my alarm clock on my phone so I could catch up on my sleep. However, our good morning's sleep always keep coming to an end, as we all hear Bigwig shouting and making his war cries, as if he was a native warrior, as well hearing him doing his "1, 2, 3, march" phrase. Everyone wasn't surprised when we heard him, especially for Hawkbit.

"Rise and shine, lads. The morning's half over." Hawkbit impersonated Bigwig, as he was waking up, even Dandelion was waking up and scratching his ears. I continued to cover myself with my blankets and burying myself.

"Rise and shine, lads. The morning's half over." Bigwig said in his good _Owsla_ cheerful mood.

"Morning all." Not to my surprise that Tyler is always up and early, before Bigwig.

"Right you're my ol' son. It's a lovely day to be in the _Owsla_." Bigwig said.

"Isn't it though." Hawkbit said.

"It is though, Dad." Tyler cheerfully stated, as he and Bigwig headed out of the warren.

"Uh... I'm on the opinion that 'Biggies' in a bit of a rat." Dandelion stated.

"And he's dragging us down with him." Hawkbit said.

"Hannah! Front and center, Hannah!" Bigwig calling to Hannah, but no reply. I decided to take my chance to try to sleep in, like a kid wanting to sleep in and not going to school and miss the bus.

"Come on, lads! Everyone out and by the tree on the double!" Bigwig and Tyler came back to see everyone else was still there. Everyone else headed out, except me as I was still tired.

"Come on, Andrew. It's time to get up and start our day." Bigwig came over to me.

"Noooooo! It's six in the morning, what's with you rabbits creating the _Owsla_ wake up system." I groaned and moaned, as I went deeper into my blankets and burying my face into my pillow.

Bigwig started to become like a mother wanting to wake their child up and even I admit and carry this burden when I'm waking my younger sisters to tell them to get up for school, by unveiling the blanket.

"BIGWIG, ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?! I'm nearly naked!" I exclaimed.

"Than I suggest you wear your under cloth, what you humans wear." Bigwig said.

"Uncle Bigwig that's underwear or most commonly boxers." Tyler said.

"Thank you, lad." Bigwig thanked, as at first I was up, before slowly going back to sleep mood, before Bigwig caught me. "Are you getting up?!"

"Yes sir!" I answered, before they headed their way out. As I watched them leave until they're gone. I got up to put on my clothes and went back to bed, as Calvin did after getting up after his mother told him to get ready for school and checking on him to see he's up, until the door is closed he goes back into bed.

It was about two minutes after I was starting to feel peacefully sleepy, I was laying on my back until I was pounced on the stomach. The pain finally got me up with a ache in my stomach. I rolled out of my blankets and my hands were on stomach from the unexpected awaking.

"Nice going lad, just like we planned." Bigwig complimented to someone, as I turned over to see it was Tyler, only at first to think if it was Hobbes the Tiger. "Now are you up, my ol' son?"

"Yes..." I said weakly. "I'm up..."

I than got up still feeling aching in my stomach, as I grabbed my travel backpack and started the day.

 _Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it's off to work I go_ I sang weakly with some whistles. I continued to repeat until I got outside to hear everyone yawning, except Bigwig and Tyler.

"Oh don't do that to me! I just got out of bed!" I shouted. "I have deal with that at work!"

"Did you have to yawn for yourself at one point, Andrew?" Fiver asked.

I sighed. "Yes, I guess you're right."

A wind blew into our faces, cool, but windy at least we weren't picked up like Piglet to fly off on a kite's string. "At least the weather's right." I said to myself.

"Just this once, can we eat before going on patrol." the young Pipkin moaned, as he was still a bit asleep, with his eyes half closed.

"'A hungry _Owsla_ , is a sharper _Owsla._ '" Hawkbit quoted and continued to impersonate Bigwig, while whispering to Dandelion that got him to giggle.

"'A hungry _Owsla_ , is a sharper _Owsla_.'" Bigwig quoted. Hawkbit and Dandelion burst out into a big laugh, as they knew what Bigwig was about to say.

"Where's that mouse?" Bigwig questioned.

"I remembered we were all told that she was visiting friends and she'll be back by sun up." Tyler said. "Unless someone else came along, Uncle Bigwig."

"Didn't try too hard, did she." Bigwig said.

"She did she promised and is trying hard to do it for the _Owsla_. I'm sure she didn't forget on purpose." Tyler added.

"Right! We haven't got all season, we've got a schedule to keep. Mouse or no mouse. Come on lads!" Bigwig ordered to move into patrol. As everyone followed Bigwig to catch up, Tyler put on some music on his Zune HD and listen to _Another Day_ by Paul McCartney ft. Linda McCartney.

 _Every day she takes a morning bath she wets her hair_

 _Wraps a towel around her as she's heading for the bedroom chair_

 _It's just another day_

 _Slipping into stockings, stepping into shoes_

 _Dipping in the pocket of her raincoat_

 _It's just another day_

 _At the office where the papers grow she takes a break_

 _Drinks another coffe and she finds it hard to stay awake_

 _It's just another day_

 _Do do do do do do, it's just another day_

 _Do do do do do do, it's just another day_

I smiled as Tyler was cheerful for the morning's day, as I put on _Thank You_ by Dido on my phone with my head phones as if it was one of my work days at Wal-Mart.

 _My tea's gone cold, I wondering why I got out of bed at all_

 _The morning rain clouds up my window, and I can't see at all_

 _And even if I could it'd all be grey, but your picture on my wall_

 _It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad_

We only went around the down and did a partial run at the woods and the brook, before coming back to the warren to see everyone else was up for the day, as Hazel, Primrose, and Blackberry were with the kittens _silflaying_. To our surprise, not only Hannah returned, but I guessed Hickory joined her on her way back.

"Alright, lads fallout." Bigwig ordered. "Get some food and good patrol lads."

As everyone else started to eat, Tyler, Bigwig and I joined to see the group. "Good morning everyone, and good morning to you Hickory, I didn't see you came this early morning."

"Hannah and I passed by to each other and made an announcement to everyone." Hickory said.

"Really? What is it?" I asked.

"Redstone got babies." Hannah answered.

"Congratulations! Well done!" Tyler and I congratulated Hickory and Marigold for their hard work of trying. As Tyler and I were amazed by the news, Bigwig was on his sights on Hannah, until he came towards her.

"You were supposed to fly with Kehaar on patrol!" Bigwig said to her.

"I know and I'm sorry Bigwig, but-"

"I won't accept sloppy, discipline from a rabbit. So I'll be skinned, if I take it from a mouse!" Bigwig interrupted and his shout got everyone's attention, even the _Owsla_.

"Steady on Bigwig." Hazel stood up.

"She's not big enough to do her job! I don't want her in my _Owsla_!" Bigwig exclaimed that shocked Hannah.

"You think I don't do my share?! You think I'm no good, because I'm small?!" Hannah questioned.

"If the whiskers fit!" Bigwig stated that gasped everyone.

"Say that again!" Hannah dared Bigwig.

"If the whiskers... fit!" Bigwig repeated.

"Oh no, Bigwig you did it now." Tyler scooted away.

"I meant what I said!" Bigwig exclaimed, before Hannah jumped onto Bigwig and started a fight.

"Take it back! Take it back!" Hannah shouted, as she was on top of his back and grabbed onto his whiskers.

"Don't think because you're a mouse that I won't take it easy on you!" Bigwig exclaimed. Hannah pulled his whiskers hard hard that exclaimed in pain, before jumping off of him and ran off.

"Oh, rabbits!" Hannah said, as she stormed off. Everyone was too shocked to see what happened, even Hickory was shocked as well and it didn't make a good impression of ourselves from the fact that Hickory was present. Kehaar and Tyler went off to try to catch up with her, before their attempt failed and came back to us.

"Oh well done Bigwig!" Blackberry said.

"You have got five minutes to come up with a proper apology!" I expected of Bigwig to apologize.

"I'M CAPTAIN OF _OWSLA_! And I'll run things the way I wanted!" Bigwig shouted and marched off.

Tyler sighed. "I told her and tried to warn her."

"Don't worry, Tyler I'm sure she'll come back." Hazel comforted Tyler, before turning towards Kehaar. "Kehaar go after Hannah, tell her we wanted her to come to the celebration at Redstone Warren."

"It's not going to be easy, Hazel. She was insulted and upset by it." I told him. "It'll be a while for her to come back, until she's over with, unless Bigwig apologized."

"Mad mouse pretty scary, you know. I'll go." Kehaar took off to search for her, while giving her space.

"We could hold off if it's necessary." Hickory insisted.

"Oh no, that won't be necessary. We'll all be happy to come and we'll be on our way right." Hazel put on his cheerful face, like everyone fakes a smile at a mirror.

Everyone started to follow Hickory, Tyler and I waited, as Hazel noticed.

"Are you two coming?" Hazel asked.

"She'll come back, would she Uncle Hazel?" Tyler asked.

"Probably some time and after Kehaar spoke with her, she'll decided to join us." Hazel answered.

"She just need some private time to be alone, I'm sure she'll get over sooner or later." I assured.

Tyler sighed and nodded his, as the three of us came along to join the rest. Even Bigwig followed us soon after we offered him to join with us, although I was heisted from the mood he was, but I couldn't be able to stand up and say he should stay back. Besides everyone needed a holiday or a break, even Bigwig probably hasn't have one for a while since both Sandleford Warren and working hard on Watership Down, as an _Owsla_.

 _To Be Continued..._


	72. Episode 23: Bigwig's Way Part 2

Bigwig's Way Part 2

From an unpleasant morning of having patrol to an fight between Bigwig and Hannah, we're heading our way to Redstone Warren to celebrate of Marigold and Hickory having kittens. On the way there, everyone was looking forward to see the kittens, even Tyler was thrilled about them. Only one of the rabbits in our group mumbled on the trip was Bigwig, because I knew that he may not even wanted to come along not after the fight he had, but also he was determined to keep the warren in check. Bigwig stopped and looked back, as Hazel stopped and noticed.

"I should be back in the warren." Bigwig insisted. "There's things to do you know."

"A bit of a holiday would do you good, Bigwig." Hazel said. "You're pushing yourself too hard."

"Woundwart and his army won't be taking holidays I'll tell you that." Bigwig stated.

"You're also pushing everyone else too hard as well." Hazel continued. "Just try to enjoy the journey will you."

As I was listening to the conversation, we heard a boom of thunder from nearby clouds that could probably have a possibility of some rain and lightening strikes.

"We've got a storm coming, should I enjoy that too?" Bigwig questioned Hazel, before joining off to the rest of the group. He even passed by me and noticed my concern look, but he looked away as he went back to the group.

"I'm starting to feel slightly bad for Bigwig now, despite of what happened this morning." I said to Hazel. "He's too much in work."

"He's just too worried about the warren and the _Owsla_." Hazel said.

"I know he worked too much that he needed some time. I don't think he ever had a vacation or some time off at all." I worried.

"Try not to worry too much, Andrew." Hazel assured. "I'm sure he'll come around, by the time when we arrive at Redstone."

We started to join up with the group and having a doubtful feeling that Bigwig would come around, because he's a workaholic and gets stern that he hardly get into his soft and/or fun side for a while since after Woundwart and _Efrafa_ became our top concern of high alerts. As we're getting near to Redstone, the stream was running smoothly as the water makes noises as it runs down the stream, while thunder clouds are continuing to form, despite of a sunny day.

"Where's your sentries, Hickory?" Bigwig asked.

"Oh, here or there I imagine." Hickory answered without having a solid answer or knowing why Bigwig asked that question.

"Discipline, my son, is the key to a successful warren." Bigwig criticized that made Hickory slightly uncomfortable from his comment. He started to become like one of my supervisors at work at some times that she comes into the service desk and ask me some questions that I really don't have a answer or I simply answer.

"What's this than?" Bigwig continued to ask Hickory, as if he was his supervisor.

"A trail obliviously." Hickory sternly answered because it was an "no brainier question" that everyone knows what a trail is.

"Too obvious... my lad. A fox could trot right down on it to the warren." Bigwig continued to criticize.

"It hasn't happened yet." Hickory said.

"You've been lucky." Bigwig stated. As the criticisms that Bigwig's tendency comments continued on and on and on and on, it was starting to be tiresome, but mostly annoyed Hickory that I started to say under my breath. "Stop talking, just stop talking." It even got worst by the time we arrived at the warren's entrance and Bigwig tisked.

"Look at this entrance! Big enough for a badger to wander in!" Bigwig exclaimed.

Hazel and I knew that Hickory is started to get a little upset that Hazel stepped in. "Bigwig, I think that's enough criticism for one day don't you? We're guests here remember?"

"Fine! I'm just a security expert what do I know." Bigwig boasted.

 _A lousy one by now_. I thought to myself.

"I'm sure you'll tell us by and by." Hickory said, before entering the warren. As everyone started to enter the warren I halted myself from entering and wanted to see about Bigwig.

"Are you alright, Bigwig? You're not acting like yourself." I asked Bigwig.

"I'm fine, Andrew. What else do you want me to do?" he questioned.

"Well since your fight with Hannah, you started to act lousy and a bit vulgar as well. I'm just worried about you that's all." I concernedly stated.

"I'm fine. I'm the Captain of _Owsla_ and it's my job to make sure every warren has great security." Bigwig putted out.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

He didn't bother to give me answer, but gave me a harsh stern look at my face. "Alright." I decided to slightly let go from my question, as I began to grow increasingly worried about more than before.

"Tsk, tsk, dreadful. Absolutely dreadful." Bigwig tisked, before joining with me inside Redstone's warren.

* * *

When we got in and followed Hickory, we than saw Marigold in her bed with three sleeping kittens. Everyone else started to adore the cute little kittens, Tyler was found them more adored with them most of all that he was eager to see and mostly play with them, however he knew that they're still newly born. He asked he could pet one of them and Marigold accepted, as Tyler gently placed one of his paws on them one at a time and petted them.

"Oh, aren't they the sweetest little things." Primrose said.

"They got your ears, Marigold." Fiver commented on the kittens' ears closely resembled as their mother's ears.

My reaction to seeing them was alike with my twin sisters being born and seeing my adopted sister for the first time, as she was still in foster care at that time, cute, adorable, young, and innocent.

"What's that she's lying on, Hickory?" Bigwig asked.

 _Bigwig don't ruin this moment, please._ I silently begged quietly, without bringing the attention between us.

"Goose-down. The geese let us gather it from the edge of the pond, down by the roundabout. It's lovely and soft." Hickory answered, as he wanted to keep his nerve calm in front of his mate and kittens to set a positive example.

"Huh, just what you lot turning out to be: lovely and soft." Bigwig commented. "The nursery should be deeper. Some night a weasel could slip in, snatch a baby and be off before you knew it."

"Here at Redstone, we've rejected the life of fear, Bigwig." Marigold said.

"Fear is all we knew at Cowslip's Warren. We won't live that way again." Hickory recalled of their times back in "The Warren of Shining Wires".

"So you trust in _Frith_ to protect you, do you?" Bigwig questioned. "Well, _Frith_ helps those who help themselves Hickory."

Afterwards, Bigwig headed out of the warren, without going on another word that he pretty much walked over his line.

"Why is he angry at everything? What's got into him?" Hickory questioned us.

"There's the right way, the wrong way, and then there's Bigwig's way." Hawkbit answered.

"Don't forget Dad, there's also the highway." Tyler added.

I didn't bother to join in, until Hickory noticed me. "Andrew, you been very quiet. Do you know?"

At first I really wanted to tell him that I'm growing a bit concerned with Bigwig, but I didn't want to say it in front of everybody about this issue at a party. So I decided to be a guy, like Johnny and Lisa from _The Room_ in the party sequence. "Hey everybody, let's just enjoy the party with some _flayrah_!"

It got everyone off track about Bigwig, as everyone started to serve each some planets, clover, and a bit of carrots. Later, Tyler went to another burrow where he wanted to keep the music a bit down without waking up the kittens that he started to play some songs on his Zune HD, even on of them was _Forever Young_ by Alphaville that I started to think about Bigwig. Tyler was teaching some of the rabbits like Fiver, Hawkbit, and surprisingly didn't fully remember Gilia came along with, some slow dances and rock and roll wave dances. I tried to keep a straight face, as I turned out to be Napoleon Dynamite sitting alone, as his date joined her friends and leaves him. I decided to walk away from the party, as I noticed Hazel was with Primrose, Dandelion, Hickory, and Marigold still with kittens.

I still continued to hear the music, as I made my way towards the warren's entrance I saw Bigwig standing alone at a hill watching over the warren and keeping on guard I suppose.

"Still worrying about him?" Hazel came up behind me, as we both watched Bigwig.

"He hasn't came back in since he left the warren." I worried.

"Marigold was concerned about him too, since he left and never came back. Perhaps we should go talk to him." Hazel suggested. Immediately agreed to him with a nod, we both left the warren and went over to check on Bigwig.

"Marigold wondering where you've gone off to." Hazel spoke to Bigwig.

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

"I'm standing sentry, since no one else at Redstone seems to worry about _elil_." Bigwig answered.

"If there was trouble coming, Fiver would sensed it." Hazel told him.

"He can't see every danger coming our way." Bigwig stated. "That slap dash lifestyle they've settled into! If it was up to me..."

"What would you do?" I asked.

Bigwig stuttered. "I'll rip Redstone into shape."

"You're watching for Kehaar and Hannah, aren't you?" Hazel figured.

Bigwig cracked, as he started to look at the skies and see no gull or mouse yet. "I suppose they're not coming."

"She did leave rather angrily." Hazel recalled.

"With a fight also that she tackled you to the ground easily." I added.

Bigwig sighed, as he became more down than ever. "I might as well go back to Watership Down, Hazel. I'm not fit of a company."

It was a bit heartbroken that Bigwig started to feel depressed, as he started his journey for home. I knew that I could relate to him immediately when I don't feel up for the party or couldn't be able to go, as I have to work.

"You know Hazel, I would head back too. Perhaps I could try to counsel Bigwig from experience." I decided. "He really needs help than he needs now."

"How do you know?" Hazel asked me.

"He's silent. When he realizes there's a problem he remains silent and tries to fend for himself." I answered. "Just take the advice from Bert from _Mary Poppins_."

Hazel smiled. "Very well, with the luck of _El-ahrairah_ to you, Andrew."

I smiled with a nod. "Perhaps a prayer of strength and guidance from God could be fitting."

Hazel nodded. I did a short prayer to ask God to help Bigwig to mend his ways from this morning, before Hazel did a prayer to _Frith_ to help Bigwig. I than shook Hazel's paw and headed my way to catch up with Bigwig, as Hazel headed his way back to Redstone to rejoin with the celebration of Marigold and Hickory.

 _To Be Continued..._


	73. Episode 23: Bigwig's Way Part 3

Bigwig's Way Part 3

I was heading towards the same direction that we took during our journey to Redstone Warren. During my way back and to finding Bigwig, I was worried if he was already back, until I saw him looking down at the canal. I decided to walk over to him and try to start a conversation.

"You seemed to be lost." I started.

Bigwig turned towards me. "Andrew, what are you doing here?"

"I got bored at the party that I decided to head back to the warren." I answered.

"You shouldn't have to head back because of me." Bigwig said. "You were having fun over there, especially Tyler was playing his music."

"You heard his music from outside of the warren, I'm surprised." I said.

Bigwig shrugged. "He always does that."

"It's who he is to make a better party." I tried to make a laugh for Bigwig for a small joke, but failed. "Besides, when it goes over an hour, I started to get bored or even it's a small one."

Bigwig sighed, as I looked at the sunset sky. "At least it's not raining or lightening storm."

Bigwig looked up and noticed. "I suppose so."

"What's bothering you, Bigwig?" I asked out of concern.

"You think I'm going hard on everyone?" Bigwig asked me.

I sighed. "Partially, deep down you're being hard on yourself and try to make everything perfect."

"Of course, I'm the Captain of the _Owsla_ and I'm expect the _Owsla_ to be perfect!" Bigwig exclaimed.

"Is Hazel expecting you to or you're expecting yourself?" I questioned.

Bigwig was about to say something, before being stunned into silence. He didn't even know what to say. Patiently, I waited until he spoke. "I guess you made a point."

"I think you worked yourself harder than everybody. Sometimes you need to give yourself a break once in a while, before going back to work." I advised.

"How?! We don't need continuous breaks until we're lazy, as well if _Efrafa_ is coming to get us!" Bigwig questioned.

"And you're right!" I boldly put it. "However, perhaps a day or two never hurt for a break. It'll help you and everyone else."

"Did you have to go through it?" Bigwig asked me.

"Yes. When I worked in Wal-Mart, I worked so much that I hardly requested time off from work, probably except every six months perhaps, but hardly. At work, I was push myself hard as I try to work my best and hard as possible. Customers think they care more of money refunded in a abrasive ways or demanding to be help."

"Really?" Bigwig questioned.

"One instance, there was a customer demanded to be help and she was by now the only one in line and waited for two minutes and I was helping with other customers in my area. I decided to agree that I sighed just from being tired and she took it personal: 'Excuse me, THAT'S NOT THE WAY YOU SHOULD BE DOING CUSTOMER SERVICE!" I told him and impersonated her voice that Bigwig let out a laugh. "She than started to smack talk on another associate that it wasn't her business, despite of her telling the customer I was doing my job. It was that moment that I decided to wait and get someone over and wait. However, I didn't have enough gets of persuading that the person could take over."

"You're always too soft! You need to step up for yourself when you felt you can't help her boldly." Bigwig advised me. "Also, it was nice that you stepped up for someone else who was helping you and told that human."

"Thanks." I thanked him, before continuing. "I even hardly get sick, except I had to be on a sick paid time off because of my surgery on my tooth. And of course, there was one time that I had to take a urgent day or two off from work, because of an family emergency."

"What happened?" he asked.

"It was around October and I was off from work, a day before going back to work. I was given a call from my step-father and told me that my grandmother passed away from a stroke." I still remembered when I was told about my Gramsie's passing.

"Oh... I'm sorry." Bigwig condolence.

"I told them that I needed to attend her funeral and they accepted, even they offered me some extra time off, but I thought it wasn't needed even if it would help get over her passing." I continued.

"Do you miss her?"

"Terribly. Last time I seen her was June 2017 when my stepfather was holding a get away party, because he was deployed. Now's he's home though after a one year of deployment." I answered.

"At least you seen her and told you loved her." Bigwig placed his paw on my shoulder.

"Just only I wish I could be able to say my final goodbye, before she passed." I wished that I was there and I could say my final goodbye.

"You did." Bigwig smiled.

I nodded. "So, what are you going to do?"

Bigwig thought thoroughly. "I need to apologize to Hannah from my actions this morning and I'll make some changes for the _Owsla_ that we'll have a holiday like a day or two."

"Not bad of an idea." I agreed. "Maybe perhaps you need someone."

"Who?" he asked.

"A doe." I answered.

"Don't push it, lad." he warned me.

I laughed. "Still, you may need one day so you both could relax and have a family."

Bigwig took my point with a nod. Coming out of nowhere, Kehaar was flying above us and probably searching for someone.

"Kehaar, down here." Bigwig calmly called him.

Kehaar flew down and accidentally landed on Bigwig. "BIGWIG! It's Hannah! It's bad, bad!"

"Calm down, what happened?" Bigwig tried to calm Kehaar down and asked him.

"Big wind bashed Kehaar! Hannah fall into the woods and Kehaar can't find her! M-maybe she's gone for always!" Kehaar told us.

"No." Bigwig was stunned and shocked from what happened.

"Alright, Kehaar just show where it happened and the three of us will find her together." I told Kehaar.

Kehaar took off, as Bigwig and I followed him to see where it happened. When we got there, we arrived at the woods and the sun has set and the skies are half and half of orange and dark blue.

"She fall somewhere here." Kehaar showed us. "Hard to tell for sure. Wind blew Kehaar... blblbllblblb!"

Bigwig sniffed for scent, as he looked around and noticed the woods was different. "It's a whole, huge world in here. She's just one little mouse."

"Before you know it, it would be a small world." I said.

"But she Hannah the mouse, she got big spirit." Kehaar pointed out.

"He's right on that too." I agreed.

"Right, let's keep looking." Bigwig nodded and we continued our search in the woods.

* * *

We continued to search for another hour, until it was starting to become nightfall. When it's nightfall, owls and other _elil_ would come out for the night to hunt. With some light, I had a new fresh batteries on my flashlight and continued our search.

"Hannah, where are you!" Bigwig called out for her.

"Hannah!" I shouted.

"Hannah, answer me!" Bigwig called out again and we heard a owl from nearby, but hidden.

"Maybe perhaps Kehaar and I could search, it's not safe for you to wander and search in the woods at nightfall." I told him.

"No, I'm the one, who started this mess and I need to fix it." Bigwig refused.

" _Elil_ going to hear you Bigwig." Kehaar also warned him.

"If I hadn't been such a hard head, she wouldn't be out here! It's my fault!" Bigwig blamed himself.

"You admitted your guilt and it's admirable. However, you can't put the hard on yourself like we talked about." I told him.

"I know, Andrew. I'm too worried now for Hannah from my stupidity."

"Oh, you and Hannah always snarly-wally all the time, she know you don't mean it nothing." Kehaar said.

"She might be hurt, we've got to find her." Bigwig was determined and entered deep in the blackest woods.

"Hey, hey, something going to find you first." Kehaar whispered.

"We can't let him get hurt from this. Come on Kehaar!" I told him, as we followed Bigwig to continue our search. It was a few minutes that Kehaar and I thought that she could be gone forever by far away or dead.

"Hannah! Please answer me!" Bigwig continued to call out for her.

"Maybe she'll never answer again." Kehaar sadly stated.

"Oh Kehaar, what have I done." Bigwig felt the guilty that he was near giving up hope.

All the sudden, we heard a scream that was sounding familiar to someone we knew. The three of us looked behind ourselves and saw an owl flying towards us and on top of it was Hannah.

"It's Hannah!" I recognized the mouse, as she pulled the fur from the owl that caused it to fly up and nearly clawed by it. Hannah landed on the grass, shortly after riding on the owl and yanking on the owl's fur. The owl flew away back up to the trees and concealed itself again.

"Hannah, you're alright! Thank _Frith_ and all of _Prince Rainbow's messengers!_ " Bigwig was relieved and found it a miracle of a small mouse to be alive.

"OH IT'S WONDERFUL HANNAH!" Kehaar flew down, picked her up, hugged her with some kisses. "IT'S YOU, IT'S YOU, OHHHH HANNAH!" It didn't last long, as Bigwig and I looked at them both and Kehaar settled her down back on the grass. "Kehaar very sorry for dropping you."

"Are you alright, Hannah?" I asked.

Before I could get an answer, she put her paws on her side in fists and gave us the look that she was about to discipline us. "What's the matter of the both you Andrew and Bigwig?! Thumping around in the dark roaring like a waterfall!"

"Oooohhhhhhh, you're busted." I teased Bigwig.

He gave me a slap on the back and shook his head, before looking towards Hannah. "I was... I was looking for you."

"What are the _Owsla_ rules: _Be silent at night, or you're in for a fight._ If you both get eaten, how are you two going to help me, eh?" Hannah questioned us.

"I'll answer on this one, Andrew." Bigwig halted me from saying another word. "Alright, I was a bit careless, but I had to find you to... tell you how sorry I'm from this morning."

"Not here, not now. I'll tell you when you could say you're sorry." Hannah said. "Now we'll go home, before something else comes out of the night for us."

"If you say so ma'am." I said, before the four of us started to leave the woods. "Thank you for teaching me squirrel thinking, Tassel! I'll see you again!"

"Whose Tassel?" I asked.

"Oh, just a friend of mine that I met in the woods." Hannah answered. I nodded my head, as we continued to head our way home and forgot all about it.

* * *

In the next morning, Hazel and the others came back from Redstone as they slept and they later told us that they were on guard. Apparently, Bigwig wasn't fully wrong about security for Redstone, but how it was presented in the wrong way. Everyone gathered outside of the warren by the peach tree, as Hannah is wanting Bigwig to make a apology in front of everyone, as Hannah was insulted in front of everyone yesterday.

"You insulted me here, in front of everybody. So say, you're sorry here." Hannah now told Bigwig to apologize to her.

Bigwig was a bit hesitant, but after looking at me he knew that he has no other choice. Despite the fact, that he wanted to apologize to her. He immediately took a deep breath with his eyes, before opening them again with exhale.

"I'm sorry for saying 'you don't do your job', I'm sorry for shouting out you. I was unfair and wrong." Bigwig apologized.

"Sorry accepted. Now we go back to our old ways." Hannah accepted his apology.

"Not exactly, Hannah." Bigwig stopped her, as he came towards her and stood up. "You saved my life and now I know that size isn't measure of courage. I'm proud to be your friend."

"You're not so bad yourself, Bigwig. When you're not barking like a fox." Hannah said, before she giggled quietly from what she said.

"Oh, hey, hey, I do not bark like a fox!" Bigwig exclaimed.

"No... maybe more like a foxer." Hannah joked, before she ran off, as Bigwig started to go after her.

"Oh, ha ha, Hannah!" Bigwig shouted.

"So how did you got him to apologize?" Hazel asked.

"Well... we did some talk about work and advise him to take a bit easy when comes to being an _Owsla_ Captain. He even gave me some advice too that I continued to struggle everyday at work." I answered.

"So you two helped each other." Fiver spoke.

"We did." I confirmed.

We all watched Bigwig continuing to chase Hannah around the down, as we all laughed and Hazel stated. "And once again, there's peace on Watership Down."

 _To Be Continued..._


	74. Dandelion's Big Story Prologue

Dandelion's Big Story Prologue

I was in bed and apparently Sandy joined me, as she had a terrible flashback about her grandfather. I decided to comfort her for the night, until we slept. In the morning, her arms were around me, as I woke up. I started to embrace her arms around me, until she was starting to slowly wake up.

"Good morning, Andrew." she gently said.

"Good morning, Sandy. Slept better?" I asked.

"Yes, with you with me." she smiled.

We got up, as I put on my clothes to start up the day, as she was in her pajamas. "Are you coming back to bed?"

"No sense, if I'm up." I answered.

She warmly smiled. "Come back to bed."

I looked at my phone and it was six o'clock, normally I would be up around this time, but I ended up falling back asleep. I shrugged and decided to go back into bed.

"A patrol?" she asked.

"Nope, since Bigwig decided to settle down a bit, until he's ready again." I answered, as she pulled me down back into my sleeping bag and blankets. She shared a kiss and decided to go for the slow kiss approach.

"How do you know how to do it?" she was curious.

"I was what other people do and/or see in movies." I answered.

She smirked. "I guess you have another person with you."

"No... I don't. I'm not sure I'm ready." I was uncertain.

She placed her hand on my cheek. "I believe you're. You'll be a great boyfriend to husband one day."

"If they only believe that I been through in my journeys." I added.

"I would. We both were there." she smiled and we both shared a kiss.

"Andrew, Sandy!" we heard a voice and assuming it was the kittens.

"There goes a ruined moment." I joked that we both share a giggle.

When we heard someone coming close, we just sit up straight, as if nothing was happening and we were getting up for the day. We than saw Dandelion came into the burrow and noticed that we both are in bed.

"Oh, good morning all." Dandelion greeted. "May I come in?"

"Good morning Dandelion." Sandy greeted.

"Yes, good morning, what's with you up early this morning?" I greeted and asked.

"Since we been in the warren a while now, I was wondering to tell everyone a story about _El-ahrairah_ to the young-lings." Dandelion answered.

"Well that's nice." Sandy thought.

"Just a simple story that you always tell all the time?" I asked.

"Ahh ah! Now that's an excellent question, mate. No, I'm planning to get most of the rabbits to partake a role!" Dandelion announced.

"Really?! I never thought you rabbits would be able to do a performance." I was amazed.

"Well not everyone have, however we could be able to do a 'Big Story' perhaps one or two stories into one, it could work." Dandelion said.

"It will be terrific, I can't remember the last time, I ever seen a warren do a story play for long." Sandy thought it would be excellent.

"We'll probably need every help in the warren, as possible, if I don't mind to ask, will you two be able to help us?" Dandelion asked us to volunteer.

"If you need some help, I could help!" Sandy stood out of the bed.

"Wonderful, what about you Andrew?" Dandelion asked me.

I wasn't very sure, because I haven't performed in a play since I was a Junior in high school. "I don't know... I haven't done plays for a long time and I don't even know if I could be able to fit in a role, except an extra."

Dandelion started to think for a moment, until he has an idea. "Ah! I'll know just what to do with you especially Andrew, meet me at the Honeycomb along with everyone else. I'm starting to gather some of the rabbits there."

"Very well than we'll be there." Sandy and I both said, as he left the burrow.

"A play, how exciting! I didn't know you performed too." Sandy exclaimed.

"When I was little to towards the end of high school. I never got big rules, but I do get a bit of lines or two." I stated.

"It doesn't matter, I'm sure Dandelion would be able to help everyone, even you." Sandy encouraged me. "I think you should be part of this too. Would your family wanted that?"

At that moment, I knew my parents remembered seeing me perform in plays while I was growing up. I might as well decided to give it a shot for my family and perhaps share with them one day.

"I'll do it."

 _To Be Continued..._


	75. Episode 24: Dandelion's Big Story Part 1

Dandelion's Big Story Part 1

Author's Note: It was hard to find a good choice to find a _El-ahrairah_ story. After searching through the novel and peeking through the _Tales From Watership_ , I managed to find a story. The novel of course belongs to none other than Richard Adams. However, after looking through this _El-ahrairah_ tale, I tried to do a bit twist and changes, with some dialogue, as long attempting to keep the original faith of the tale.

After Dandelion told me and Sandy of his plan to do a "Big Story" play, Sandy continued to encourage me until I decided to go for a shot. The both of us left the burrow and noticed everyone was at the Honeycomb. Dandelion was standing at the top of the rock, as everyone else gathered.

 _Wow,_ _it seems to be quite serious._ I said to myself, as everyone, even the kittens wondered why they're gathered.

"Attention everyone!" Dandelion got everyone's attention. "Since we have been here for long enough, we need to tell our young-lings. I decided that everyone is willing to participate on this big story."

Everyone thought it was an excellent way to teach the kittens.

"However, the only way that we could be able to make it happen is to have some rabbits to take part of it." Dandelion added.

He was than put into charge to assign certain roles. I noticed that Tyler was eager to be part of "The Big Story", because since he's been here long enough to listen to Dandelion's stories.

"Hi Tyler, are you trying to take part of 'The Big Story'?" I asked.

"Definitely, it seems to be a fun learning experience, as well teaching to others." Tyler answered.

"I'm not even sure that I'll be getting a part, but if it has an audition or given a small role. I'll take it." I said.

"I'm sure you will." Tyler assured me.

When we got to face Dandelion, he was surprised to see and especially for Tyler. "You two are deciding to take part?"

"Sure, it doesn't matter if I get a big role, at least I'll take part or help anyway possible." I answered, before Dandelion looked at Tyler.

"Tyler, why are you here?" he asked.

"Please Uncle Dandelion, I have listened to your stories enough that I could be able to help." Tyler answered.

"Absolutely! We could use your help." Dandelion agreed.

"So, what's the story?" I asked.

"I beg your pardon?" Dandelion asked.

"I recall of you telling many _El-ahrairah_ stories to us. I was wondering which one you'll do?" I asked.

Dandelion started to think in his ears, as he was stomp one of his feet repeatedly as if he was Thumper.

"I got it!" Tyler got an idea.

"What is it?" we both asked him.

"How about 'The Story of _El-ahrairah_ and _The Black Rabbit of Inle''_?" Tyler suggested.

"I'm not too sure, it may not be suitable for the young." Dandelion worried.

"You could always modify it, if needed." I thought.

"Why's that?" he asked.

"If it was scary or too violent, just modify it or shorten it if possible." I explained.

"I'm not sure..." Dandelion thought, until he decided to give in. "Alright, we have to keep the story true to it's self."

"Very well." I agreed.

"Right." Tyler agreed also.

* * *

As soon after Dandelion leaves with the other rabbits, Tyler grew a bit concerned, even I was worried it could work.

"You worried it won't work?" I asked Tyler.

"Partially, however, the most concern I have is that it may frighten the kittens, even Gilia." Tyler expressed concern.

"I know, however, Dandelion really wanted it to keep the truthfulness to the story telling, it's folk." I added. "Besides, I did slightly bit remembered him telling us the story about it for a short time."

"Really?" Tyler was surprised. "I don't remember."

"It was around the time that it was probably a year ago that he shared a story with the _Owsla_ about _El-ahrairah_ meeting face to face with _The Black Rabbit_." I recalled about a year ago that he us a short story.

"Alright, I'm starting to remember that we're out on patrol as usually and he told us the story." Tyler started to remember. "And again, I don't remember him finishing off the story."

"Yeah, apparently a fox caught our scent that the story was cut short and Dandelion didn't even finished it and he forgotten all about it." I concluded.

"Wow, that's a bit upsetting." Tyler sadly said.

"I don't even remember how the story ended, all I know is that Rabscuttle was about to be awarded and the story was cut short." I remembered the partial ending. "Unless we make our own ending."

"Wow! That'll be perfect, but I'm sure Uncle Dandelion won't be able to approve it, even adding some changes." Tyler said.

"We could figure out a way to do, even adding a scene or two for a short story." I added.

"You're on." Tyler and I gave us each other a hand-paw shake. We're hoping that we could keep the story true, but we'll add some changes that could help the kittens understand the story and not try to frighten them as much if possible.

Over the next couple of hours, Dandelion had everyone rehearsed for "The Big Story". As some of the scenes were in practice, Tyler and I had hired Pipkin to be our story teller, as we convinced Dandelion that he could tell the story. Frankly, it worked. We than secretly told Pipkin that we're going to have some scene changes and try to keep up the story with the changes. He was curious to know more, but Tyler managed to go over the night before the big day and everything worked according to plan.

* * *

About three days of practice to do a short story, everyone was ready. Dandelion was going to do the introduction, before leaving the story to Pipkin, who we hired him to be our story teller and he was eager to tell the story as well. We had other cast of main players as well: Hazel plays _El-ahrairah_ , Bigwig as _Rabscuttle_ , Captain Broom as _The King_ , and Tyler as _The Black Rabbit_. I decided to leave my role as a secret and surprised everyone in a scene. After Dandelion manages to finish his introduction, he cued Pipkin to tell "The Big Story".

 _Now late one afternoon in February, Rabscuttle and some of the rabbits headed to the edge of a garden away from the warren. However, in the evening, a thick fog started to become cold and misty that Rabscuttle and his fellow rabbits started their journey home. Only for Rabscuttle to find out that he was seperated from his fellow rabbits._

 _"In Frith's name, where are they. I'm sure we left from the garden, before we got lost in this thick fog." Rabscuttle (Bigwig) said to himself._

 _He continued to wander through the fog, until he strayed into King Darzin's guards' quarters._

 _"What in Frith's name are you doing here?" one of the guards (Comet) questioned Rabscuttle._

 _"I'm no quarrel with you rabbits." Rabscuttle answered. "I got lost with my fellow rabbits in this fog and we're trying to find our way home, from patrol."_

 _"Perhaps you could example your exercise to the King." another guard (Blackavar). The guards took Rabscuttle to face with King Darzin._

 _"So... why are you here?" King Darzin (Captain Broom) questioned._

 _"I lost my way, along with my fellow rabbits through the fog." Rabscuttle answered._

 _King Darzin started to think and thought he has an opportunity to spite El-ahrairah. "We're willing to take you, but you're subjected to work on digging new burrows and tunneling new paths for our warren."_ _Rabscuttle was than sentenced to a special prison and forced to work hard labor through the frost, cold winter days, despite of being a friendly, unfortunate guest stumbled upon._

 _Apparently, the lost rabbits, whom they lost Rabscuttle, managed to find their way back home and reported to El-ahrairah about Rabscuttle being missing and his apparent capture by King Darzin's rabbits._

 _"I'll find a way somehow to free Rabscuttle." El-ahrairah (Hazel) promised._

 _In four days time, he and two of his does had dug a tunnel from the woods into the back of the bank, where Rabscuttle was been forced to work. During the digging to reach Rabscuttle, he was digging a storeroom, while being under-watched by King Darzin's guards._ _Eventually, El-ahrariah and the does managed to reach Rabscuttle from there they managed to escape to the woods._

 _After the guards discovered that Rabscuttle has escaped, King Darzin became furious and determined to declare war on El-ahrairah and destroy him. His soldiers set out in the middle of the night and reached towards the Meadows of Fenlo. They started to dig rabbit holes, but they couldn't be able to, because of the snow. Suddenly, they were met upon by El-ahrairah and his rabbits in combat. However due to small narrow places they couldn't fought, unlike El-ahrairah and his rabbits. The King's rabbits withdraw, until they return again, but this time they decided to wait and surprise any rabbit trying to silflay. The plan would only backfire, because they were so many holes that they couldn't watch every single one. Despite of the failure of keeping eye of every hole, El-ahrairah and his rabbits could only quickly snatch a mouthful or two of tall grass, before returning to the warren without being spotted._

 _It wasn't until El-ahrairah's rabbits started to starve and fallen ill, because of King Darzin's blockade. He even had to go into desperate measures at one night that he risked his life to grab a few tall grasses for a doe and her family. It helped the family to the least, despite of the doe's father died from starvation the day before. El-ahrairah had left his warren at the coldest night and found himself in the woods and started to pray._

 _"Lord Frith! I'm in desperate need of your help and guidance. I would do anything to save my people! I would drive a bargain with a stoat or a fox. Even The Black of Rabbit of Inle'!"_ _After his prayer to Frith, he returned back to his warren where he finds himself utterly alone in his burrow in the sadness from seeing his people starving to death. He began to realize that the only way to stop King Darzin and his rabbits' blockade was to face with the Black Rabbit himself._

* * *

 _In the next morning, El-ahrairah met up with Rabscuttle and gathered the Owsla of their plan that they were hesitant, but El-ahrairah remained them to trust in Frith and quoted the Owsla: "Who Dares Wins." Later in the evening, the rabbits came out and ambushed King Darzin's soldiers. Despite of the heroic ambush, many fought bravely and some perished in the fighting that they gave El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle the opportunity to make a covert escape, until the Owsla fall back underground. After the fight, King Darzin sent a messenger to the rabbits of El-ahrairah's warren._

 _"I'm here under the words of our Great King Darzin: 'I'm ready to speak to El-ahrairah for peace negotiates if he's willing to surrender.'" the messenger (Strawberry). After hearing this message, El-ahrairah's people began to grow weary why he left with Rabscuttle. Despite of the remaining rabbits unsure of El-ahrairah's whereabouts, the Owsla knew the plan that they're not wanting to frighten the people and letting them down._

 _As El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle reached towards the woods, they encountered with a fox in the night._

 _"Well... well delicious rabbits." the fox (Hawkbit) drooled saliva._ (In that scene, the kittens couldn't held back the laughter, as Hawkbit, who was covered with leaves, drooled, even Tyler and I laughed quietly.)

 _They managed to flee from the fox, before they encounter with the stout (Dandelion). However, the stout was clever that he managed to scratch a wound on El-ahrairah. Rabscuttle managed to defend El-ahrairah to the fullest, having the stout to withdraw._ (The kittens cheered from the victory. Tyler remained me that I was close to my cue.)

 _"El-ahrairah, you're injured." Rabscuttle spoke._

 _"It's just a scratch from that stout, but I'll be fine." El-ahrairah assured his trusted comrade._

 _"Perhaps we should encamp here tonight, until you're recovered." Rabscuttle suggested._

 _All the sudden, they heard a twig snap that their ears raised tall. They thought it could another elil or worst, King Darzin's soldiers followed their tracks. Until, a shadowy figure emerged from the bushes and out comes... a human!_ (The kittens were surprised, along with the does. Dandelion knows that a human hasn't appeared in this story. Tyler told me it was my cue. I took a deep breath and went into character, as Dandelion became frozen that he could opened his mouth and told me, "It wasn't part of the script or story.")

 _"Excuse me..." the human (Andrew) spoke. El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle were surprised and they stepped back. "Please don't leave. I need your help."_

 _"Who are you 'human'?" El-ahrairah asked._

 _"My name is Richard." the human introduced himself. "Somehow I lost my way home. I remember I was taking my nightly walk, until I tripped and fall hard on my head. Now I don't know where I am."_

 _"No need to be afraid. I'm El-ahrairah, Prince of Rabbits and this is my Owsla Captain Rabscuttle." El-ahrairah introduced himself and Rabscuttle, as they both bowed._

 _"Goodness, you look like you're hurt." Richard spotted the wound._

 _"Don't worry, it'll recover in the morning." El-ahrairah assured the human._

 _"Maybe perhaps this could help." Richard reached into his bag and have a medical kit for animals. He gently dipped a cloth into a cleaning peroxide. At first, Rabscuttle refused to let Richard get close to El-ahrairah, as he feared it would harm him. From Richard's promise and reassurance, he started to clean El-ahrairah scratch wound, despite of the sting._

 _"What is this?" El-ahrairah wondered._

 _"It's peroxide, it helps clean the wounds. It prevents having an infection." Richard told him. "So, what brings you rabbits out here, should you be in your warrens with your fellow rabbits?"_

 _"Our warren is at war with King Darzin, who rules another warren." Rabscuttle answered._

 _"We're seeking to gain some help from The Black Rabbit of Inle'." El-ahrairah added._

 _"The Black Rabbit of Inle'?" Richard questioned with wonder._

 _"The Black Rabbit of Inle' is the most powerful rabbit. He is the most feared of all rabbits, because he comes after a rabbit, who stops running." El-ahrairah answered._

 _"So basically, he's death." Richard sums up._

 _"Yes." El-ahrairah confirmed._

 _"Let me join you on this quest, perhaps I'll find my way home some how." Richard said._

 _"How could we trust a human on this journey?" Rabscuttle questioned El-ahrairah._

 _El-ahrairah give a moment to think, before turning back towards Richard. "Are you sure about this, Richard? There's no turning back, if something happens to you..."_

 _"I know." Richard said._

 _"Very well than, tonight we'll sleep tonight, before we start our way." El-ahrairah decided, as the newly trio settled for the night and fall fast asleep._

 _In the very early morning, before dawn, the trio set out to search for The Black Rabbit. Rabscuttle and Richard are clueless to know where they're going. However, El-ahrairah knew where they're exactly going, as they continued to venture through the foggy, snowy mist. However, when they appear to a cliff, they ventured their way down through the rocks and discovered a large hole that led to a tunneling path. It was dark, damp, silent, and freezing cold in the depths of the tunnel. Before they could enter, they were approached by none other than The Black Rabbit himself. They started to flee into the tunnel, that they started to slip, sled, and trip, while all three of them flee, until they had no where else to go and they faced with The Black Rabbit._

 _"El-ahrairah, why have you come here?" The Black Rabbit (Tyler) asked._

 _"I have come for my people." El-ahrairah answered._

 _The Black Rabbit turned towards Richard. "And who is this?"_

 _"I'm Richard, sir. Somehow I lost my way home after an accident. I was hoping to find my way home, until I met with new friends and they're helping me also." the human spoke a bit nervously, while shivering._

 _"You're strangers here, El-ahrairah, especially this human. You're alive." The Black Rabbit spoke._

 _"My lord..." El-ahrairah started to speak. "I have come for you to take my life." Shocking Rabscuttle and mostly Richard. "My life for my people."_

 _"You can't El-ahrairah!" Richard protests._

 _"No protests please, Richard." El-ahrairah insisted. "It may help you to find your way home."_

 _"Not by giving your life away." Richard said. Rabscuttle remained silent, as The Black Rabbit drew his claws and tapping the ground thinking at the same time._

 _"Bargains, bargains, El-ahrairah." The Black Rabbit spoke. "I'm afraid, 'There is not a day or night, but a doe offers her life for her kittens or an honest captain of Owsla his life for his Chief Rabbit, his Owsla, and his warren. Sometimes it's taken, sometimes it's not. There is no bargain, for here what is, is what it must be."_

 _El-ahrairah began to think. "Perhaps I could trick him into taking my life. He would keep a promise, as Prince Rainbow kept his promises."_

 _"You're my guest, El-ahrairah." The Black Rabbit spoke to him. "Stay in my burrow as long as you wish. You may sleep and eat here. They're few indeed who can do as much." The Black Rabbit politely offered his hospitality, as his Owsla prepared to serve their guests._

 _"No." El-ahrairah refuses. "We'll not eat, my lord."_

 _Rabscuttle and Richard started to speculate what The Black Rabbit will do next._ _"Perhaps at least, we must entertain you. Perhaps a game of Bobstones."_

 _El-ahrairah nodded his head. "Very well. If I win, my lord, you must accept of taking my life for my people. As well as returning Richard back to his world."_

 _"If that's what you wish." The Black Rabbit agreed, before continuing. "If I win, El-ahrairah, you shall give me both your tail and whiskers."_

 _"I accept your challenge and the bargains." El-ahrairah accepted. Richard tries to debate with El-ahrairah._

 _"It's a trick, El-ahrairah. This is too much of a price of your life that could affect yourself and everybody who loves and cares for you!" Richard blocks his path._

 _"I must do this for my people. It's the only way to defeat King Darzin." El-ahrairah answered._

 _Richard started to tear. "I won't let you throw your life away. Every life is precious, even yours. I can't let you suffer through this."_

 _"Come now, my ol' son." El-ahrairah removed his tear. "We all know how to play Bobstones and I could win this match for everyone and for you."_

 _Richard started to understand the full reason why he's willing to give up his life. "I think I understand."_

 _"Good boy." El-ahrairah patted Richard's head. He headed his way to assume his position where he faces his challenger in a game of Bobstones... The Black Rabbit of Inle'._ (Without an unknown reason during this performance, Tyler started to play Rolling Stones' _Sympathy For The Devil_ )

 _To Be Continued..._


	76. Episode 24: Dandelion's Big Story Part 2

Dandelion's Big Story Part 2

 _El-ahrairah challenges The Black Rabbit of Inle' a match of Bobstones!_ (Despite of Rolling Stones' _Sympathy For The Devil_ continued to play on Tyler's Zune that he still has with him. Dandelion seems flustered from the changes, as the kittens were emotional, at the same time curious while listening.) _The stones were brought to them and El-ahrairah sat down in the opposite of The Black Rabbit facing each other in the cold. El-ahrairah knew how to play Bobstones and play as well as any rabbit that covered a cast. However, in this place, the Black Rabbit's eyes were upon El-ahrairah, and the Owsla remained silent._

 _Normally his wits would led to his victories, unfortunately, he started to lose his wits just moments before he made his first cast of a stone. The Black Rabbit however, was calm, in spite of his haste as it started to play tricks on El-ahrairah. They continued to play as the snow falls, without any sound or change._

 _"Bobstone guess is two." The Black Rabbit guessed for the final cast._

 _Poor, spirited El-ahrairah revealed the two stones that were hiding underneath his paws and accepted defeat._

 _"You can pay your stakes to the Owsla, El-ahrairah and then you'll be shown to your borrow to sleep in with your friends." The Black Rabbit said. "I shall see you tomorrow and if you're still here I will see you, however you're free whenever you wish to leave."_

 _Then The Black Rabbit's Owsla escorted El-ahrairah away. As Rabscuttle and Richard were taken to the burrow, while the Owsla removed El-ahrairah's tail and whiskers, before joining with his friends in the burrow with an opening view of the mountains outside._

 _"Oh master," Rabscuttle felt that he let his chief down. "Perhaps I shall remove my tail and whiskers, so you don't have to face the guilt alone."_

 _"Rabscuttle, there's no need for you to do such thing. I'm the one has to pay the consequences." El-ahrairah rejects._

 _"What would you do now El-ahrairah?" Richard asked._

 _"Perhaps it's better for us to depart from here. The darkness surrounds us."_

 _El-ahrairah sighed as he lost his faith, before turning towards Rabscuttle. "Certainly not. However, I can do very well with some willow herb and clematis. Go out and get some, but make sure you come back before tomorrow evening. Also, you should bring some food if you can."_

 _Rabscuttle bowed his head, before he departed as he turned towards Richard. "Perhaps you should find some food too or more than that he could help you find your way home."_

 _Richard shook his head. "No, I'll stay. I can't leave you alone after what you been through, besides you could use some company."_

 _El-ahrairah smiled. "Very well, it seems that I may be alone, but with some company would be better."_

 _As the two sat together alone in the darkly burrow, they started to have conversations and shared their own cultures and beliefs. Richard said he was from Canterbury, sharing about his family and lifestyle he lives with his faith in God; with stories on_ _how the world was created,_ _and Jesus and a story how Jesus was born into this world and died on the cross for our sins; and finally that his favorite activities is him visiting the woods and the fields to see the sights of rabbits. El-ahrairah was fondly took an interest of Richard's story, despite that his people were also been threatened by humans. He told Richard his own story, on how the world was created and how El-ahrairah was blessed with gifts from Frith. Richard was amazed on how El-ahrairah was blessed with his tail especially, until he was sadden from El-ahrairah losing his tail from his defeat in Bobstones._

 _"Are you in full pain?" Richard asked._

 _El-ahrairah strained from the pain. "I'm alright, but in pain though. Mostly afraid."_

 _"Afraid from here?" he asked._

 _"Yes, but mostly for my people. I'm worried about them, as they're under watched by King Darzin's soldiers." El-ahrairah answered, as he also looked around. "And sometimes here."_

 _"Me too. Do you know the most beauty out of it though?" Richard asked._

 _"Why do you think there's beauty here?" El-ahrairah asked._

 _"Just look outside." Richard pointed out towards the snowy mountains. El-ahrairah looked out where the snowy started become heavy, but able to see a grand view of the mountains being covered with snow. "Isn't it beautiful?"_

 _El-ahrairah began to nod his head. "Yes. In a since, it is."_

 _"If I ever get scared of something or feel upset, I will just close my eyes and picture myself being at or go towards a hill and imagine either a beautiful mountain tall and proud or see a beautiful ocean that goes beyond the sea to another side of the world." Richard said._

 _"Really? Humans are afraid?" El-ahrairah asked._

 _"Of course, we're afraid for a lots of things that are many to list." Richard answered. "The best way to feel relieve about fear is to breathe clean air near a mountain or by an ocean." Richard slowly breathed in the cold air and exhale. "Cold and snowy, but clean. You should try."_

 _El-ahrairah did the same thing, as Richard did, and exhaled. "Well I say now, it does help a bit. Perhaps Rabscuttle should know about this too."_

 _"And your people, as well holding onto your faith as well for a solution to an absolution." Richard agreed._

 _"As for you too." El-ahrairah smiled. "Keep holding on your faith too."_

 _Richard smiled. "I will and thanks for being there for me."_

 _"And thanks to you also." El-ahrairah thanked also, before they looked at the majestic view of the snowy mountains in the distance and shared a bond of friendship._

* * *

 _In the next morning, Rabscuttle came back with pieces of turnip and gave them to El-ahrairah, before he and Richard patch El-ahrairah's wounds with a gray tail, and whiskers that were made out of clematis and ragwort. Later in the evening, the three met with The Black Rabbit._

 _"Well El-ahrairah, my burrow cannot be what you're used to, but perhaps you have done your best to make yourself comfortable?" The Black Rabbit asked, while surprised to see El-ahrairah's wounds were concealed, as if nothing happened._

 _"I have, my lord and I'm glad that you allowed the three of us to stay." El-ahrairah spoke._

 _"We'll not play Bobstones tonight." The Black Rabbit said. "Also, you must understand that you shouldn't be suffered. I am not one of the Thousands, and again you're more than welcome to stay or leave. However, if you choose to stay, perhaps we could share each other stories if you're interested."_

 _"Certainly, my lord." El-ahrairah replied. "If I can tell a story as good as yours, you will accept my life and deliver safety to my people."_

 _The Black Rabbit accepted the part of bargain with another bargain, if he wins, El-ahrairah would have to give up his ears. It was an equivalent to the last bargain when they challenged each other to a game of Bobstones. Richard wanted to not want El-ahrairah to suffer again, as he feared that he'll be defeated once more. El-ahrairah was firm and accepted the challenge._

 _The Black Rabbit started his story first, as it was a horror that Rabscuttle and El-ahrairah crouched onto the rock, as they knew that every word is true. For Richard, he slightly shivered as the story was about fear and darkness. When the story was finished, El-ahrairah was too petrified and at times materialized, as if a ghost of his ancestors circled around him haunting him, that he couldn't be able to speak that The Black Rabbit, patiently knew that El-ahrairah's bargain was nullified as El-ahrairah has no story to tell. Minutes later, his Owsla took El-ahrairah away. In tears, Richard didn't want to leave his friends side and begged The Black Rabbit to be with his new fond friend. The Black Rabbit wanted to refuse, because it will bring too much pain for the boy._

 _"You're not afraid, are you human?" The Black Rabbit kindly asked._

 _"No. Sometimes I am. I rather not wanted to leave my friend behind to suffer alone, at least I'm by his side." Richard replied back, as he was being blocked by The Black Rabbit's Owsla._

 _"Let him be. If he wishes to remain by his side, let him." The Black Rabbit accepted._

 _The Owsla proceeded with Richard to be with El-ahrairah. When they're being escorted, El-ahrairah wondered why Richard was doing this. He replied that he didn't want to leave him alone, at least his friend is on his side. El-ahrairah commended Richard, as they're being sent to another burrow. Richard fondly held onto El-ahrairah's paw, as if a human's faithful companion was being put to sleep that they both shared a fondly smile and tear. The Owsla than put El-ahrairah into a deep sleep, as if he stopped breathing as his smile dropped. Afterwards, the Owsla removed El-ahrairah's ears causing a heartbreak to Richard that he started to cry to see the state of his friend. When it was over, they took El-ahrairah and Richard back to their burrow, where Richard buried his face into El-ahrairah's fur and continued to cry._

 _In the very late evening, just before midnight, El-ahrairah woke up to have no feeling of his ears, as he remembered that his ears are gone, due to his defeat. He turned over to see Richard asleep, as his head was on El-ahrairah's soft side. He couldn't help smile and rubbed the boy's head gently, before nuzzling the sleeping boy having him smiled._

 _"Oh master, what good does your suffering bring? For Lord Frith's sake, let me take you home." Rabscuttle knew that El-ahrairah has suffered too much._

 _"Nonsense. please go out and find two good, big dock leaves, as they'll do well for the ears." El-ahrairah spoke._

 _"They'll wither, master. As do I." Rabscuttle replied back._

 _"They'll last long enough. For what I have to do, there's no other way." El-ahrairah spoke sadly._

 _Rabscuttle bowed his head and left to fetch the leaves. While he was away, El-ahrairah started to think and realize that his life will not be taken, because of his recent wagers won't help him. Another choice he decided to do was to race The Black Rabbit of Inle' across the ice. He even began to question why himself was suffering mercilessly, despite they have no hate or war was declared to each other. He was downgraded from his lack of courage and wits. Finally, he realized that the shadows have no power that would send him away or harm him. It may not help him, but it could be the only chance that could help him save his people._

 _When Rabscuttle returned, he patched the leaves on El-ahriarah's ears to disguise his bruised and horrible maimed head, just before the two decided to fall asleep. In the middle of the night, El-ahrairah dreamed of his starving rabbits, as they were continued to be blockaded by King Darzin's soldiers, until they gave him the power of ruling El-ahrairah's warren. He than woke up to see Rabscuttle was asleep in peace, possibly in the meadows devouring flayrah. He than turned towards Richard and he started to toss and turn, as he was having a nightmare. El-ahrairah gently nuzzled Richard that had him woke up._

 _"Richard, you're dreaming." El-ahrairah spoke out of concern._

 _"I'm sorry." Richard rubbed his eyes. "Just had a horrible nightmare."_

 _"No need to apologize, my ol' son. We all have nightmares in a while. Do you want to share it with me?" El-ahrairah heartily spoke and asked him about his dream._

 _They both shared each other's dreams. Richard dreamed about losing El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle eventually that left him alone to walk around the world, as he was looked down upon and preyed by elil with no one to help him. El-ahrairah than shared his dream about his people suffering and lost control of them to be taken in by King Darzin's side. After comforting each other from their dreams, they decided to walk around about the warren, before returning to sleep. On their walk, they passed by the Owsla and they couldn't help to stare at each other, until they come towards El-ahrairah._

 _"Turn back, El-ahrairah. You have no business here, in the pit. You're alive and suffered much already." one of the Owsla rabbits spoke_ (Strawberry) _._

 _"Not as much as my people." El-ahrairah responded back._

 _"There's enough suffering here for a thousand warrens." a voice came out of no where_ (?) _that turned out to be the shadow. "Do not be stubborn, El-ahrairah. In these holes lie all the plagues and disease that come to rabbits: fever, mange, and sickness of the bowels. And here, in this hole, lies white blindness, that sends creatures hobbling out to die in the fields, where even elil will not touch their rotten bodies. This is our task to see that all these are ready for the use of Inle'-rah. For what it is, what it must be."_

 _El-ahrairah had an idea that he didn't have to think that he could give himself easily. "Very well than."_

 _As they turned away, El-ahrairah turned back at the hole and towards Richard and warmly smiled at him._

 _"What is it?" Richard asked._

 _"You'll forgive me for this." El-ahrairah nuzzled, as Richard shared a hug._

 _"Of course, for what?" Richard asked, before he let him go._

 _El-ahrairah smiled with a wink and rushed towards the shadows and free fall to the nearest hole than a raindrop into the ground. Richard shouted for him, as he tried to hurry towards the hole, but blocked by the Owsla rabbits. When El-ahrairah plunged to the ground, he laid there' as the shadows flickered and gibbered about, for they had no power to move him, except by fear. Moments later, he was alone, wondering whether he would be able to reach to the army of King Darzin in time without using his ears and whiskers. He stayed there long enough that he started to feel sick and have infections. When he came out of the hole, shocking Richard and the Owsla rabbits, El-ahrairah was blind, has leprosy, while shivering and feverish, he could hardly feel anything to none without his whiskers and ears._

 _"El-ahrairah, where are you going?" The Black Rabbit asked._

 _"I'm going home, my lord. You said that I might go when I wish to." El-ahrairah answered._

 _"Of course. However, you do have a purpose of being here, what is it?"_

 _"I have been in the pit, my lord. I'm infected with the white blindness and disease. I'm am going to save my people by destroying the enemy." El-ahrairah answered._

 _"But El-ahrairah, do you know how the white blindness is carried?" The Black Rabbit asked another question._

 _El-ahrairah remain silent._

 _"It is carried by fleas in the rabbits' ears and pass from the sickly rabbit to the next. However, you don't have any ears and fleas will not go for the dock leaves. You can't catch or carry the white blindness."_

 _El-ahrairah felt his strength and courage were gone, as he fell to the ground. He try to move, but his back legs couldn't move and he couldn't get up at all. He started to struggle, until he succumbed. Richard ran to his lifeless friend and sobbed into tears._

 _"Why El-ahrairah? Why?!" Richard shouted in tears._

 _The Black Rabbit realized that he stopped running. "El-ahrairah... this is a cold warren: a horrible place for the living and no place for the warm hearts and brave spirits. You just created a nuisance to me."_

 _"HOW COULD HE CREATED A NUSIANCE?! HE WAS JUST TRYING TO SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM AN ENEMY WARREN! HE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH WITH THIS AT ALL! I should have done this." Richard shouted._

 _The Black Rabbit was surprised from the outburst. "My dear boy, he chose this. He knew the risks he would take from this."_

 _"Now I just lost a friend and it's my fault."_

 _"No Richard, you have no blame for this. You were by his side that you amazed me that you could have gone through this also." The Black Rabbit spoke._

 _"I tried, but he refused to have any harm come to me. He's a true friend to me... like a brother. My heart hurts when I see an animal goes through this suffering." Richard sadly stated._

 _The Black Rabbit nodded. "And he has done enough. Now go home, El-ahrairah and I'll save your people. You never showed impertinence or asked meme when. There's no time here no longer and you're people are already saved."_

 _In that moment, King Darzin and his soldiers were still occupying by the holes, until confusion, terror, and darkness fell upon them. The fields began to fill with huge rabbits with reddish eyes and began to frightened King Darzin and his soldiers that they withdraw from their sentry. As the huge rabbits vanished into the night, no rabbit who tells the tales of El-ahrairah could say what kind of creatures they are or what they look like up to this day._

 _To Be Continued..._


	77. Episode 24: Dandelion's Big Story Part 3

Dandelion's Big Story Part 3

All the sudden, the story came to apparent stop! "Uhh... should I go on?" Pipkin stopped, as Dandelion stood beside to realize that the gig was up.

"Perhaps we should stop, because it's frightening the kittens." Dandelion insisted.

"What? Please keep going." the kittens wanted the story to continue. "We're getting to the good part."

"We don't want to give you any nightmares about this." Dandelion became worried.

"That's funny, I never thought you guys ever got nightmares from stories I had to tell." I broke my character.

"Andrew's right, Uncle Dandelion. Not everyone knows about this story." Tyler spoke, although Dandelion knew the tale frightened the kittens because it was mostly about fear, war, and death.

"It has moments it frightened all of us, but we can't be frightened forever." Gilia spoke. "Everyone could be afraid at times."

"The tale was interesting and never thought of _El-ahrairah_ meeting with a human before." Blackberry added.

"Can we finished the story, Uncle Dandelion." Mallow asked, as the kittens started to beg to finish the story, even Tyler and Pipkin wanted to finish the story as well, since how far we got.

Dandelion looked around to see everyone was wanting to "The Big Story" to be finished. "Very well than, just don't blame me if you get any nightmares from this."

Now... back to the tale

* * *

 _After a tear fell onto El-ahrairah's fur coat, a dim faded glow around him and started to wake up from a long sleep. Richard started to become amazed that his friend has returned from the dead._

 _"You're alive!" Richard hugged him. "I never thought that you'll be brought back to life."_

 _"Either do I." El-ahrairah smiled back._

 _They looked around to see The Black Rabbit of Inle' and his Owsla were gone with no trace. As El-ahrairah and Richard were heading back to the burrow to see Rabscuttle, he already coming down and looking for him, until he found him._

 _"Master! Where have you been? I have been looking for you!" Rabscuttle asked._

 _El-ahrairah and Richard looked at each other and smiled. "It's a long story, my old friend." El-ahrairah smiled._

 _"Let us return home than, I'm already crept out of this lair." Rabscuttle wished._

 _"Now 'Home' is a wonderful word." Richard added._

 _The trio began their journey back, as they came out of the mountain side and journeyed their way down. Since their long stay and journey to visit the Black Rabbit, they started to feel a bit lost, as if they have no idea where they're going. As they continued along for the journey, until El-ahrairah couldn't go that he got tired that he fell._

 _"Master, are you alright?" Rabscuttle asked, as he and Richard helped him up._

 _"I'm alright, Rabscuttle. I'm just tired from the shock and exhausted what we had to go through." El-ahrairah answered to his Captain._

 _"Mostly you... you've been through a lot. Perhaps you should rest, until you're better." Richard suggested._

 _Rabscuttle dug a small hole where they rested for several days, as they mostly slept. El-ahrairah began to recover better from his illness that they finally decided to continue on their journey home. As they continued to be lost on their way, because of their wits or perhaps that The Black Rabbit removed any traces from them knowing how they got there. They ended up having to ask for shelter from other animals whom they met along the journey. It lasted about three months, as they continued to find their way home, even continuing to ask for shelter from other animals. For one example, they lived with a friendly lendri and found some pheasants' eggs in the woods for him. Throughout the journey, Rabscuttle and Richard continued to look after El-ahrairah, as they patched his wounds with fresh dock leaves and kept the annoying flies from his wounds until they're healed._ (For one instance, Hawkbit and Dandelion were the flies that they encircled around Hazel that Bigwig and I shooed them away, that the kittens laughed from the humor.)

 _Finally, after their long journey home, they arrived back to El-ahrairah's warren. The sun was near to setting, as the evening was close. They could see number of rabbits silflaying, nibbling grass, and playing over ant heaps. They stopped by at the top of the field, sniffling the gorse and herb-robert on the wind._

 _"Wow... I can't imagine of smelling the fresh clean air before in my life time." Richard complimented and envied about the wind that El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle's warren receive the fresh, clean, flavor winds._

 _"Well, they look alright. Healthy lot, really. Let's just slip in quietly and see whether we can find at least one or two of the Owsla captains underground. We don't want to create or spark any attention." El-ahrairah suggested._

 _And so, they made their way along the hedgerow, but could not altogether get any bearings, because the warren has grown larger and there were many holes, before they left both at the bank and the field. They stopped to speak to a group of smart young bucks and does sitting under the elder bloom._

 _"We want to find Loosestrife. Can you tell us where his burrow is?" Rabscuttle asked one of the bucks._

 _"I never heard of him, sir. Are you sure he's in this warren?" the buck_ (Fiver) _answered._

 _"Unless he stopped running. But surely, you must have heard of Captain Loosestrife? He was an officer of the Owsla in the fighting."_

 _"What fighting?" another buck_ (Tyler) _answered._

 _"The fighting against King Darzin." Rabscuttle tried to remain the buck._

 _"Here, do me a favor, sir?" the buck spoke. "During the fighting to the finish, I wasn't born yet."_

 _"But surely, you know the Owsla captains who were, right?" Rabscuttle asked._

 _"I wouldn't be seen dead with them. Whose is that white-whiskered old bunch and a 'human' doing here and what do we want to know about the fighting?" the buck asked._

 _"What they did, my ol' son." Rabscuttle answered._

 _"That war lark, old fellow?" the first buck_ (Fiver) _spoke. "That's all finished now. That has nothing to do with us."_

 _"If this Loosestrife fought King 'What's-His-Name', that's his business not ours. Is it?" one of the does_ (Clover) _began to wonder. It appears that most of the warren has forgotten about the war and/or dismissed it as a shameful event, until another buck came by and spoke._

 _"My father was in it." the buck_ (Comet) _spoke. "He gets on about it sometimes. I always go out quick. They did this and that and all caper. In honesty, it makes you curl up. That poor old geezer, you'd think he'd want to forget about it. I reckon he makes half of it up to the least. And where did it get him, tell me that?"_

 _"Apparently, they may be their relatives that fought that war before or some don't even know about it, as others despise it." Richard whispered to Rabscuttle and El-ahrairah._

 _"If you don't mind waiting a while sir, I could go see if I can find Captain Loosestrife for you. I don't actually know him myself, but then it's rather a big warren if you ask me." a third buck_ (Blackavar) _offered to help._

 _"That's good of you, my ol' son." El-ahrairah commended the buck who offered to help them. "Perhaps it's better I think I've got my bearings now and I can search for him myself thank you."_

 _Later, El-ahrairah went along the hedgerow to the wood and sat under a nut bush, looking out across the fields. As the light began to finish setting for the night to come, he suddenly realized that Frith was close to him among the leaves._

 _"Are you angry, El-ahrairah?" Lord Frith asked El-ahrairah._

 _"No, my lord. I'm not angry, but I have learned that with my fellow rabbits' loved ones, suffering is not the only thing for which one may pity them. A rabbit, who does not know when a gift has made him safe is poorer than a slug, even though he may think otherwise himself." El-ahrairah spoke to Frith._

 _"Wisdom is found on the desolate hillside, El-ahrairah, where none comes to feed, and the stony bank where a rabbit scratches a hole in vain." Lord Frith spoke._

 _Richard thought it was best to speak up about it. "Excuse me sir." He came out of the bushes, as he followed El-ahrairah to the wood. "It may be difficult to state, but would they ever be able to learn about their ancestors or their families that fought in the war? It seems that most of the rabbits Rabscuttle asked about it, they dismissed or took it for granted."_

 _"They have, as a new generation would intend to forget about the once glorious and mannered times, they bring up their own generation of their own ways as the old dies." Lord Frith spoke to the boy._

 _"As a human, most of the humans I know took granted for what happened in the past of history itself. What El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle shared with me about the war they faced and tales they showed are history that I can't take for granted and I won't, even if I'm a rabbit." Richard added._

 _"Not many humans would be able to care about the ways of the rabbits. You seemed to understand their ways of life, as they began to understood yours, as you both listened amongst each other." Lord Frith continued, before transitioning to El-ahrairah. "Now, speaking about gifts, I have brought a few trifles for you."_

 _Lord Frith gave El-ahrairah a pair of ears that has little starlight that glows at times and faints, a tail and some whiskers. He than gave commending to Rabscuttle for his loyalty, despite of being frightened at times in The Black Rabbit's Warren. He gave Rabscuttle to remove of the some of the fears that made him more braver than ever, as well the successor to Chief of El-ahrairah's warren, when he passes on._

 _"And what is the gift I should present to you, Richard?" Lord Frith finally asked the boy._

 _"Well sir, there's nothing I really wanted for a gift. Except wanting to return home to my world where my family is." Richard spoke._

 _"I figured you'll wished for it. Whenever you're ready, just say the words and you'll be able to return back to your home in your world." Lord Frith spoke._

 _Richard turned towards El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle, as they started to say their goodbyes. "I won't forget about you rabbits. I'll one day tell this to my family one day."_

 _"I know you'll will." El-ahrairah smiled back._

 _"Don't take what happened in our journey and the stories we told you about for granted." Rabscuttle advised Richard._

 _"I promise." Richard spoke, as the trio shared a hug for their farewell and turned towards Frith. "I'm ready to return home."_

 _With a flash of Frith's light, the boy was sent back to his home, as the El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle returned back to their warren, as they shared the tales to the newly generation rabbits. As for same boy, who came to our world, continued to tell the stories and tales to his family and generations to come about the way of the rabbits, including the stories about his adventures with El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle to save their warren in a time of war._

"The end." Pipkin wrapped up the story.

"What a wonderful story!" Gilia clapped, as everyone else applauded for the story, as a play was finished that we were given a standing motivation. Everyone, who worked on Dandelion's Big Story came to take a bow to Dandelion himself gave a bow also.

* * *

As everyone was nearly off to bed, Tyler and I were still sitting on the Honeycomb edge and reminiscing about performances we did to pat each other on the back.

"You did very well, Andrew!" Tyler praised. "I don't understand why didn't you continue on to be an actor."

I shrugged. "It's something I may not be fully into, but still had a wonderful experience that I can't forget about it."

"Very well than, I believe we should be off to bed. A new day will began for all of us." Tyler said.

"I agree."

Before we could get into our own burrows, we heard someone clearing their throat. We turned around to see Dandelion smirked, with his arms across.

"Oh Uncle Dandelion... we're just getting off to bed you see-"

"I know that. I wanted to speak to you both about the trick you two pulled." Dandelion said.

"What trick?" I asked.

"While in the middle of the story, Pipkin made up a character that wasn't part of this tale." Dandelion answered. "Even he came up to me at the end of the story we shared that it was both you and Tyler's idea."

"As you can see Uncle Dandelion, it was my fault." Tyler admitted the blame.

"No... I'm part of it as well. We both shared it and it doesn't make sense that you get the full blame, Tyler." I admitted also. "Just about the tale itself, Dandelion. I never heard of it before, even it sounded like it wasn't finished. It was a interesting idea to do some of the changes by adding some things and a ending."

"Well..." Dandelion spoke as if he was going to reprehend us. "In all fairness, the kittens did enjoyed the story and everyone in the warren. Even Hazel and Bigwig thought it was wonderful!"

"That's awesome!" Tyler and I shared a clap of hand/paw.

"However, it doesn't mean you'll be doing this the other Tales of _El-ahrairah_ I presume?" Dandelion asked us.

"No, no. It was interesting enough for this story, because I also knew that it shared some traits. Tyler coming this world as a rabbit from the old world that he saved animals since he was two years old. Sandy and her grandfather somehow came to your world and explored and studied about the rabbits, before their capture. And for me, coming here by accident from a bump on the head traveled with you, Hazel and the rest of a band rabbits to a new warren. I don't think the three of us could forget about this place when we return to our own world."

Tyler cleared his throat and I remembered that he died from our world and brought back to life in their world. "Oh right, well the two of us anyway. Sorry Tyler."

"No problem." Tyler accepted.

"Perhaps if you do return back to your world, as 'Richard' than in the tale, would you be able to remember us by sharing about this to your world?" Dandelion asked me.

At first, I worried that I won't remember about this world, when I'm gone. However, by now it would be hard to forget from all the love and bonding we all shared that it makes it harder to forget the wonderful good times, even the bad times that we struggle and go through turmoil.

"I promise." I decided to share to my world when I return.

"Than I must say I'm proud to say you both are wonderful story tellers." Dandelion smiled. "Well I'm off my rounds. Goodnight and cheerio!"

"Goodnight." Tyler and I said, before we said our goodnight and headed our way to our burrows.

When I arrived to my burrow, I saw Sandy smiled. "I guess it was exciting day."

"I say." I agreed, as we both onto the bed. "You know... I'm still wondering who voiced the shadow. I looked around during the tale and it didn't sound like any of the rabbits doing it."

Sandy smiled. "It was me."

I turned towards her with a shocking look. "You?!"

"Are you surprised?" Sandy asked.

"I am, but it was great voice you did though." I complimented.

"Why thank you." she thanked me, as we both snuggled and watched through the a good size that no _elil_ could get into, but watched the evening star above us.

"Do you think you'll be able to remember our times here, when we return... to our own world?" I asked.

"Of course, although it will be harder, because about my-"

"Don't." I hushed. "You don't need to go through another mourning that you already have. It's best that you think about your grandfather of the wonderful times you both shared. It kept you alive during _Efrafa_ days, even when you got out."

She shed a small tear. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"What have you got to be sorry for." I said. "It's best that we both share our experiences about this journey when we return."

She nodded and we both shared a kiss, before we continued to watch the star shine. "I promise."

"I promise."

 _To Be Continued..._


	78. Season 2 Finale: The Homecoming Prologue

The Homecoming Prologue

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas in this prologue.

I was up and early before everyone else, when I left the warren to catch a glimpse of a new day. When I came out, I do as I always do salute to my makeshift flag and sang _Star-Spangled Banner_. Before I made my way down, I caught a blissful sight of _Frith_ starting to shine on the down for a new day. I than started to do my walks around the woods, until I arrived at the border of _Efrafa_. When I arrived there, I did as I do every weekly, spoke with the General Woundwart, even combating with some of his _Owsla_ rabbits and he commended me as I never changed on my fighting style. While speaking to him, he even told me, but a hilarious tale that Vervain lost his mind. He said that Vervain had encountered with the hedge wizard and her apprentice by the name of "Urkel". He was close of capturing Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig. However in the end, when Woundwart investigated where it all happened, Vervain lost his wits and was punished to dig and stripped from his post.

As _Frith_ finally rises, I decided that I should started my journey back. I said my farewell to Woundwart and even came across briefly with Captain Campion and apparently he was doing his post, before he started his patrol. As I was heading my way home, I stopped in the middle of field just to admire the view, the cool breeze, and the birds chirping in the skies. Suddenly, I was thinking that something wasn't right seconds later. Everything went silent, including the wind and the birds that passed by.

"I better get going, before anything go pears-" Suddenly, before I could finish that last part, I've being tackled and held to the ground by what seems to be an enemy rabbit. I tried my very best to fight back, but I was still held onto the ground, as if he knew my fighting styles.

"Guess who?" the enemy rabbit spoke.

I tried to look up to see, who was my enemy. Until I was able to see a good view, it was none other than... "Vervain!" I said sternly.

"You tricked General Woundwart well. First you gain his trust, until then to betray him when the time is right." he accused me.

"I would never do something like that." I protested my innocence.

"Lair! I saw you with Hazel, Bigwig, and Fiver, even that human friend of yours, one too many times to know that you are planning to take out our General." Vervain pointed out.

"Why should I even attack someone who sees me as a worthy opponent, huh?" I questioned Vervain.

"Maybe perhaps, this could be able to freshen your true intentions." Vervain spoke and started to mercilessly attack me with his paws and kicking me in the process.

It went on for minutes, until I was too weak to move or even defend myself that I couldn't even raise my paw. Shortly afterwards though, Vervain started to search through my vest pocket to find my Zune. He didn't have much of a clue how to use it, but he started to play a song called _Scream_ by Zac Efron.

 _The day the door is closed_  
 _The echoes fill your soul_  
 _They won't say which way to go_  
 _Just trust your heart_  
 _To find what you're here for_  
 _Open another door_  
 _But I'm not sure anymore_

 _It's just so hard_  
 _Voices in my head_  
 _Tell me they know best_  
 _Got me on the edge_  
 _They're pushin', pushin', they're pushin'_

 _I know they've got a plan_  
 _But the ball's in my hands_  
 _This time is man-to-man_  
 _I'm drivin', fightin', inside of_  
 _(A world that's upside down)_

Before I could the best part which was the chorus, he dropped my Zune to the ground and started stomp it with his feet. As I was watching my most treasure possession that I have since I was an orphan, I could hear the music faintly and it faded right before it could say "Scream". After Vervain destroyed the Zune, he had his other foot on back and starting to breaking my back.

"Scream, huh? At least it fits." Vervain teased.

"Ow, my back!" I screamed in agony.

"Now... you'll won't be able to see your family and friends again." Vervain raised his paw.

"PLEASE!" I begged and Vervain stopped, just he was about to deliver the killing blow. He could see that I was starting to shed tear after tear. "You win, Vervain. I'll tell you everything. Just please don't kill me. ANYTHING BUT THAT!"

"Anything?" Vervain smirked.

"Anything you need to know." I said in tears.

Vervain smiled, as something wicked is about to come underway...


	79. Season 2 Finale: The Homecoming Part 1

The Homecoming Part 1

Author's Note: Here it is folks! Season 2 Finale... I wanted to thank everyone, who has been reading the series since the beginning and others who have read my works before I started the series. Hopefully you enjoyed the un-produced episode Dandelion's Big Story, now here is The Homecoming! And of course, I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas for this episode.

Everyone was up and going, as it was any other day by now. Since it felt like it was two years since I came here, I didn't even felt that much peace back where I was at my world. I started to blend in more with the rabbits more, as days went long. This morning, some rabbits were relaxing at the edge of the down near our warren, Kehaar was playing with Hazel's and Primrose's kittens, for me; I was watching the scattered clouds roam slowly and the skies were clear. I was wearing my cowboy boots and my Jason Aldean hat and listened to his songs while kicking back.

"Days like this, I can't imagine being anywhere else." Bigwig was relaxed while chewing on a green, like a farmer or a cowboy chewing on wheat.

"Days like this, anywhere else." Hazel was beside his sleeping younger brother.

"Ah, wouldn't be lovely if the whole world could know peace like this." Fiver spoke.

"Where I come from, some don't care or some try to find peace if possible." I said, as I spotted a dragonfly roaming around Fiver's ear, before he gently hit the insect with his ear and impacted on a dandelion as it's seeds blow away.

"This is absolutely better than dealing with some Wal-Mart customers, who complain and not getting their way, until my supervisors would sometimes give in." I said.

"You may be more happier than where you came." Fiver said.

"I am. Like a newborn man, as it seems." I said, as I tipped my hat and started to try to get some nap. While I was still listening to Jason Aldean's _Rearview Town_ , I started to hear someone moaning, that I turned down the music and took off my hat to see who it was. I noticed Fiver's face was frozen and stared ghastly towards the sun.

"Fiver, what's wrong?" Hazel asked with concern.

"He's off with one of his dreams of his." Bigwig stated.

"It doesn't look like the typical that I seen before." I wondered, as i turned off the music and got to see what Fiver was visioning. "Fiver, what's wrong? Tell us."

 _The Darkness comes to take us all, as our dear friend injured by an enemy. If we survive, than one will fall!_ Fiver visioned, before he rocked back and forth, as if he was going into hysteria and he dropped out of consciousness.

"Fiver!" I screamed, luckily I caught his fall.

"'If we survive..." Bigwig started to quote the vision.

"'... than one will fall.'" Hazel finished the quote.

"If someone is going to fall, than who could it be?" I questioned, as I looked down on the fainted Fiver began to feel worry something wicked like a apocalyptic.

* * *

Alarmed, we got Fiver back to the warren where he was taken to Hazel's and Primrose's burrow, where he rested there. Primrose was present at the time, as she simply resting from waking up the kittens this morning, while chatting with Hannah. Hazel and Bigwig left to discuss, as I stayed back with Primrose and Hannah to look after Fiver.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Fiver had a vision, but I can't fathom on this one." I answered. "It's unlike any vision that I know."

Fiver continued to shake and shiver, as if it wasn't over. Primrose became worried and shocked.

"Fiver?" I reached my hand towards him and when I touched him, I went completely frozen that I couldn't budge.

I started to hear battle cries and I was taken to the underground of the warren. The cave started to shake, as if an earthquake struck. The cavern rocks started to crumble and collapse, as if I was in a collapsing build on the lower floor, as it's columns and stands give way. I started to run for safety, but a rock hit the upper part of my back and someone shouting for someone's name.

I woke up, as I felt someone touched my shoulder and it was Primrose.

"Andrew, are you alright? You froze." she asked me.

"What happened?" I asked, as if I didn't remember what happened.

"You touched Fiver's head and you froze, as if he gave you his vision." Primrose said.

I looked down to see Fiver hasn't changed. Continuing to shake and shiver as he started to moan, even when Hazel and Bigwig came back.

"Any change, Primrose?" Hazel asked.

"No, he just keep saying the same things over and over." Primrose said. "Strange it may sounds, it sounded like you said it too." she than spoke to me, as the four turned towards me.

"What do you mean? I only froze and I don't remember exactly what happened?" I questioned them.

"You were saying what Fiver was saying." Primrose said.

"Not that I'm aware."

"I've never seen a vision take him like this before." Bigwig spoke.

"Even in Sandleford?" I asked.

"It was similar, but this is the worst experience he dealt with so far." Hazel recalled about Fiver's visions.

 _A warning comes from the lonely and the brave. The one who'll save us, is the one we... can't save._ Fiver visioned.

"Same thing again." Hannah spoke.

"That's the same words you said." Primrose told me.

"I'm sorry?" I questioned.

"What Fiver visioned just now. You both said the same vision." Primrose pointed out.

I tried to reach for him again and my mind started to play the same vision that I just had that it started to refresh my memory. "Now I remember, after I placed my hand on Fiver's head, just see if he would wake up. I was taken underground of the warren and heard battle cries, before the cavern happened and someone called for someone's name that it was nearly fainted."

"He'd also had that vision before Hazel. That's what he said when Woundwart arrested Campion." Primrose than recalled about when we're at Redstone Warren.

"Nothing happened to Campion than, and nothing's going to happen to him now." Hazel assured his mate about the current vision.

 _The Darkness comes to take us all! If we survive, than one will fall!_ Fiver visioned the same vision outside of the warren. I than started to hear someone's name again, but still fainted that I had to remain silent to listen.

We waited for about another five minutes, until Fiver stopped shivering and repeating the same vision. It was a sudden change, as if he was back to normal since it lasted over an hour after he had the vision. He started to blink, as he was starting to wake up from a long sleep.

"Fiver... are you alright?" I spoke, until he started to become fully awake.

"Hello Fiver." Bigwig spoke to him, as everyone said the same thing.

"It's good to have you back." Hazel warmly smiled with relief.

"You got us really worried for a while." Hannah added.

"Sorry." Fiver apologized.

"You don't need to apologize from this. Are you feeling better?" I asked him.

"Sort of. Feeling a little bit lightheaded." Fiver answered.

"Perhaps some water could do." I had a bottle of water and bowl prepared for him, when he woke up in case he was needing some water to ease him from being lightheaded. He started to take slow drinks of water out of the bowl, as I still have the bottle half full.

"Do you remember anything?" Primrose asked Fiver.

"I saw darkness on the land. It was as if _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_ touched me." Fiver recalled. "It was so cold, so afraid."

"It's alright lad, it's over." Bigwig comforted Fiver.

"Bigwig's right, you're not alone and we're by your side, no matter what." I stated. "And you won't have to go through it alone."

"No, it's just beginning. And strange it may sounds..."

"What is it, Fiver?" Hazel asked.

Fiver turned towards me. "I saw you in the darkness alone."

"Me?" I questioned.

"I recall seeing you, as if you were in my mind." Fiver said.

"I only remembered touching your head and I blacked out." I spoke. "Besides, I didn't even see you."

"I did and you were in caverns in a hurry."

"To do what?" I asked.

Fiver shook his head. "I don't know, you were ran fast, as _El-ahrairah_ hurried to save his people."

"I kind of wished to know more though." I said.

 _Hazel! Fiver!_

We heard a shout that sounded like a fellow rabbit.

"It sounds like Campion!" Primrose recognized the voice.

"But how did he find his way here?" I wondered. The four of tried to follow his voice with Fiver and Hannah followed us from the behind, as Hazel heard Campion's voice again and it was from the back of the warren. We found our way underground towards the caverns and saw a rabbit came out of one of the tunnels.

"Campion!" Primrose exclaimed. "It is you!"

"Well congratulations, you just found our secret passage way that you easily didn't take long to find us." I smirked.

"Speaking to our secret passage way, how did you get up here?" Bigwig got close to Campion.

"Vervain found the entrance to the cavern. It's only a matter of time, before Woundwart would hears of it." Campion announced.

"What will we do Hazel?" Fiver asked his big brother.

"You've got to abandon your warren, get everybody out, before it's too late!" Campion warned us.

"Never!" Bigwig refused.

"Woundwart will invade. He'll destroy you and destroy everything! It's what he does!"

 _The darkness comes to take us all._ Fiver recalled his vision. After hearing his phrase, I started to hear the faint name once again and disoriented, until I snapped out of it.

"Wait a minute! Wait minute!" I exclaimed.

"Don't try to make something up, again." Bigwig sighed.

"I'm not. It's just that what you said Campion. Vervain found his way here?"

"Yes." Campion confirmed.

"Okay, but he doesn't know how he found his way there. Also, he was sentenced to hard labor, there's no way he could have been able to find his way here or know about it."

Before we could discuss about it more, we heard someone coming towards our way. I couldn't imagine it would have been Vervain, as it was impossible for him to follow Campion. Until we saw a beaten up, half way of nearly mutilated young buck came towards us with scars, bruises, and some bleeding.

"Tyler?!" Bigwig recognized the buck, with everyone's shock and disbelief.

As for him... he could only say weakly. "I'm sorry, guys. He broke me."

Exhausted, he collapsed to the ground and fainted, as Bigwig and the others rushed towards him, as I froze in disbelief to see the state Tyler was in and heartbreaking that how could anyone done this to him. I even dropped the half bottle of water and my feet started to get wet, as it flows down the path of the caverns. With Hazel's, Bigwig's, and Campion's help, they escorted Tyler back to his burrow, where Hawkbit and Clover saw that their fatally wounded, adopted son was assaulted by an unknown. Clover couldn't say a word, as she was in tears and Hawkbit felt guilty that he could have prevented it from happening. Luckily, Blackberry came in time to Tyler's injuries. Just before she headed out, she caught a short glimpse at Campion, before she hurried to save a rabbit in need.

"Whose done this to him?!" Hawkbit demanded to know.

Campion inspects the claw marks on Tyler and recognized them. "It's Vervain."

Everyone gasped, at the same time I was starting to feel the devil's flame burning inside of me when I heard Vervain's name. _That son of a -_. I said to myself.

"Please be careful, Andrew. You're with a young buck." Hazel tried to calm me down and tried to watch my language.

"I'm afraid that Tyler must have told him where your warren is, because he was being tortured." Campion added.

"Before we could be sure, he may have been attacked by a fox or a weasel like before." Hannah said.

"TYLER WAS ASSAULTED, HANNAH!" I shouted in rage that jumped her and left her breathless.

I dismissed myself from everyone and headed back to my burrow, as I started to tear up from Tyler's condition. I would never imagine, if it was one of my sisters that got beaten up or assaulted the same way Tyler has, I would have gone out to search for that person and give that person a piece of my mind. In blind rage, I started to trash my burrow by throwing my phone on my blanket. I than picked up my bag and tossed outside of my burrow, as I screamed that almost everyone could have heard me. I was starting to run out breath, I fell onto my blankets and came in Sandy, as she heard the commotion.

"Andrew! What happened? What's going on?" she worriedly asked.

I lowered my face down.

"Andrew tell me."

"It's Tyler he's been attacked by Vervain." I told her.

She lift her hand and speechless.

"Mark my words... as if he attacked one of my sisters, he would wish that the night won't turn black and starless! I swear I'll find Vervain and wished he never met us and give him some reckoning until his heart stops!" I swore that I would avenge Tyler, as I looked up to Sandy. "Not even God or the devil could stop me! I will leave a mark on Vervain that his life would be short!"

 _To Be Continued..._


	80. Season 2 Finale: The Homecoming Part 2

The Homecoming Part 2

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 and randomkungfupandafan for your ideas for this episode.

Minutes after Sandy comforted me and after making a promise to avenge Tyler, the only best thing I could be able to due is to see if he's still alright. When the both of us came back to Hawkbit and Clover's burrow to see Tyler was still given herbs and nothing seem to work from the multiple wounds he endured.

"Any luck?" I asked.

"Not a single change and he's still unconscious. Not even some of the herbs are helping him heal." Blackberry began to worry, as her herbs aren't working to help Tyler.

"Maybe we can help." Sandy spoke, as they all faced at us, wondering what she meant.

"Sorry?" Hawkbit questioned us.

"You could say... I'm a amateur doctor, not the greatest."

"You are?"

"Okay... not exactly, mostly my mother knows more. However, when I was a high-school, took in biology class. Since then, I kind of know a bit on the human body and all other animal organism." I stated, as Sandy smirked. "Not too one hundred percent, but although helped Bigwig and Hazel, when they were hurt, even Campion."

"I could help you, Andrew. Since my grandfather and I studied about rabbits, perhaps we could work together." Sandy stated.

I nodded, as the both of us got to work to work on recovering Tyler. Sandy applied a bit of peroxide gently to clean his wounds without burning him greatly. I started to apply some bandages after each peroxide was dabbed to cover the wounds. Finally, I torn a sleeve from one of my shirts and made it as a eye patch on one of Tyler's eyes. Sandy and I finished and Tyler looks brand new, but different from his eye patch.

"No need to worry anymore, he'll be up sooner or later." Sandy smiled.

"Thank you Sandy and Andrew." Clover gratefully thanked us.

"Yes indeed." Hawkbit thanked also.

"Anytime." I said. "All he needs is some rest and he'll wake up."

Sandy and I left, as I still couldn't imagine this happened to Tyler and I knew that it won't be the same for him, as he'll be affect his relationship with Woundwart and of course Vervain.

"Well... I guess that's that." I said, sadly.

"We did everything we could do." Sandy spoke softly.

"I know, it's just that I shouldn't let him be alone." I said. "I should have been unconscious with wounds, not him."

Sandy placed her hand on mine. We both share a warm smile now that Tyler is safe and he'll recover from our help. We than came across with Primrose and Campion.

"Hello, Andrew... and to you Sandy." Campion greeted.

"Hello." we both said.

"You look different now that you're human again." Campion smiled.

Sandy slightly blushed, as I shook my head. "It's a long story." We than saw the kittens were chasing each other playing _Tail-Tag_.

"I got you Mallow, you're _Tail-Tagged_." Gilia playfully said.

"Did not!" Mallow playfully exclaimed.

"If you're going to play like that, go outside." Primrose told her children.

"Your warren is so full of life." Campion was astonished.

"And full of joy. Without your help, I wouldn't be here Campion. We'll wouldn't be here." Primrose stated. "Don't go back to _Efrafa_ , stay here with us. You've earned some peace."

Even Sandy and I, along with some of the rabbits in the warren, who knows Campion should stay and leave _Efrafa_ forever. "Campion..." He turned towards me.

"You have done so much already that you deserve it. You even have to face arrest and starvation to keep your true intentions hidden." I added.

"I've got to get back, before I miss-"

"Miss, what?" I interrupted him.

"For all I know Woundwart's already on his way with his army." Campion answered.

"You can't stop an army on your own!" Primrose exclaimed.

"We have each other: friends and more importantly family that we'll defend here, until the end." I stated, as I touched Campion's shoulder. All the sudden, the vision came back with voices in my head, until I heard the same scream of someone's name that revealed. _Campion_! I gasped and slightly, as I started to get irritated from hearing things in my head.

"Andrew, are you alright?" Campion asked me, as I looked back up and I started to hear the vision again repeatedly.

"Andrew..." Sandy gently shook me.

"I'm fine." I quickly nodded my head.

"Very well than." Primrose smiled, before turning towards Campion. "Come on, there's more to see." We watched them headed their way out of the warren.

"Perhaps after seeing Tyler in a horrible injury, we should go outside so you could get some air." Sandy suggested.

"I think you're right." I agreed and we walked out of the warren to see there's happiness outside.

Primrose was showing Campion the beauty view of the warren and the view of the high hills. The kittens were playing _Tail-Tag_ , along with Dandelion, as he couldn't keep up with the kittens that he tripped. Sandy felt the wind blew to her hair that started to flow. I couldn't be able to get Fiver's vision out of my head, as well as my own vision.

"Something is wrong, don't you want to tell me about it?" Sandy thought I was hiding something.

I shook my head. "I don't have anything to hide."

"You haven't stopped staring at Campion, since you saw him again at the Honeycomb." Sandy said. "Seems to me you know something that everyone doesn't, please tell me."

I sighed and took a deep breath. "I had a vision, when I touched Fiver."

"Fiver had a vision?" Sandy surprised. "He didn't had a vision since Christmas or _Frith's Eve_."

"I know, but it was recent. He stated that 'Darkness comes to take us all. If we survive, one will fall.'" I quoted Fiver's vision.

"We know that Woundwart is coming according to Campion, but who'll will fall?"

I looked over to Campion and recalled about hearing his name. I feared that it'll be him, but I didn't want to create it a panic.

"I don't know... I feel like everyone is at risk of death." I feared from Fiver's vision and a premonition I had.

"We have each other to look after and it's important to tell us, even myself about these things." Sandy stated.

"I felt like I shouldn't, because one problem is everyone else's worry than the other." I disagreed.

Sandy placed her hand on my cheek. "It'll be a greater problem, if something happens to someone or everyone, if one thing was kept private. We're all here for each other and we're in this together, no matter what."

I nodded my head slowly and agreed, before Hazel came out of the warren. "Oh, hello you two. Not disturbing you both, am I?"

"Not at all, Hazel." I answered.

Hazel smiled, "How's Tyler?"

"We helped to give him a nice recovery, he'll be up and hopping about like a happy rabbit, when he wakes up." Sandy answered.

"Great news! Now, I'm about to gather some rabbits to defend our warren from Woundwart's invasion." Hazel told us, before he called for Primrose and Campion. It looks like we may have a chance to hold off from Woundwart's invasion, if planned accordingly and right.

* * *

The five of us are heading towards the caverns. From there, Bigwig and Fiver are already there with Blackberry, as she's inspecting the caverns for some ideas for the underground defenses.

"It should work." Blackberry said to herself.

"What will?" I asked.

"If we dig under 'The Hanging Rock', we can bring it down to block this narrow passage." Blackberry suggested.

"That's good, but the only problem is though is that we need to hurry, before it collapses from it's structure. Even like buildings." I said.

"'Buildings'?" Campion questioned me.

"Buildings that humans build in towns, cities and such." Sandy answered.

"Every building could have structure failure or drawbacks, like the Twin Towers." I added.

"What does that the towers have got to deal with it?" Sandy asked.

"We know the towers were hit by planes and eventually blowing away all protective layers of fire proof, by jet fuel. The thrusts of the columns started to heat up that makes them bend that could cause structure failure to collapse. In other words, if we're carefully how we dig, the rock could give us enough time, before it falls and creates a cave in." I explained.

"We'll be able to have enough time to dig carefully, before that could happen." Blackberry smiled. Campion couldn't help, but approach to her, out of curiosity. "Oh, hello, your..."

"Campion, this is Blackberry our digging genius." Hazel greeted Blackberry to Campion. I looked at them and started to have a warm smile. Bigwig and Primrose couldn't keep hold of a straight face, as they're seeing 'lovers at first sight'.

"I've heard stories of your courage, Captain Campion. It's a privilege to meet you at last." Blackberry smiled.

"The honor is all mine, Blackberry." Campion greeted back.

"Oh Campion might fit in after all." Bigwig stated. "Don't you think?"

"I'm sure he would." Blackberry agreed. "It'll be a big job bringing down the rock. We could do it, but it'll take time."

"I don't know how much we have." Hazel worried about how much time we have to prep ourselves for the invasion.

"I'll make sure you have enough." Campion declared. "I got to get back to _Efrafa_."

"Right. Blackberry, Bigwig, I'll leave it to you. Fiver, Andrew. You two and I will go with Campion." Hazel directed us.

"We're going into _Efrafa_?" Fiver questioned, as his ears lowered down.

"We'll wait for _Efrafa_ at the end of the tunnel. If Woundwart comes, we'll race back to warn the others." Hazel clarified with his little brother.

Fiver let out a relief. "That's better."

"And tell Kehaar to fly high cover over _Efrafa_. The more eyes on Woundwart, the better." Hazel told Primrose to instruct Kehaar to fly over to _Efrafa_ to track Woundwart's advances.

Before we started to head our way out, Campion and Blackberry gave each other that affectionate gaze, before going into their tasks.

"Alright, lover _Owsla_ Captain." I joked with Campion.

"What is it?" he questioned me, as we headed our way.

"You're in love, without doubt. Like 'Comet' shot you a love arrow." I stated.

"Whose 'Comet'?" Campion asked.

"Don't worry about that, I was just joking, but it's natural though to fall in love at first sight." I dropped the question to reveal a joke.

* * *

And so, Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig, and myself led Campion out of the warren through a secret passage. The same entrance where Campion came in before. The day reached to it's early afternoon and no sight of the enemy came. We than saw Kehaar, with Hannah riding on his back, to fly over to _Efrafa_ to track Woundwart's advances. Campion exited out of the cavern.

"When the crisis is over, we'll wait for you at the meeting place." Hazel told Campion.

"We'll lead you home overland." Fiver added.

"You'll finally be welcomed to your new home, as a next _Owsla_ Captain." Bigwig said to Campion.

My body froze for the last time, as my premonition came back and I was back inside the caverns. I followed the fighting noises and there I saw Woundwart and his men were about to attack Campion. The cave started to shake and Campion pushed to save General Woundwart, as he took the rocks showering over him and crushing him. _Campion!_ Blackberry screamed.

I came back to the present and it was possibly the last chance for me to stop him from doing it and remain in the warren. "Oh my God."

"For The first time in a long time, I feel I can see the trail to tomorrow" Campion said, before he started to leave for _Efrafa_.

"Campion, wait!" I grabbed his right paw, as he turned back.

"What is it?" Campion asked me.

"I don't want you to go. Don't do this, just stay where you're. I just don't want you to get hurt." I worried about him, without revealing too much of my premonition.

"I'll be fine and I'll meet up with you lots, if the fighting happens." Campion assured me.

"Alright, than I promise to help you see your tomorrow, Campion" I got up to him while still holding onto his right paw to assure him he will see his future.

"Thanks human, it means a lot especially from one of your species. Better be off before Woundwort punishes me again for leaving." After taking his right paw back, he quickly dashed back to Efrafa but then Fiver shook from another vision overtaking him.

 _To protect one of us, a sacrifice must be made! A promise kept to fulfill will deal us a great deal of pain! The fight to keep back the darkness will help the saved one see tomorrow but the one who will sacrifice themselves will deal us a great deal of sorrow!_ He gasps after the vision finishes but then he, Bigwig and Hazel look at me with worry.

"I'm sorry, Andrew. I didn't mean too." Fiver apologized.

"I know you didn't mean to. Does this mean my promise to Campion has landed me in danger? Am I going to be taken prisoner, lose a body part or even die? I shudder at any of the thoughts!

"Don't focus too much on that now lad, we'll protect this area and you with all we got. Just remember your Campion promise." Bigwig patted me on the pack, before heading back inside the cavern.

"There's no point of sitting here and waiting for Woundwart." Hazel said. "Let's see if we can plan a few surprises for him."

As Hazel went back in with Fiver following, I looked back to see at the very long distance and see Campion still hopping his way back. I shook my head, as I continued to worry. "Please... stay safe Campion." I said, before joining the brothers back to help to see the surprises we could do to trick Woundwart and his army, hopefully to hold them off without being in vain...

 _To Be Continued..._


	81. Season 2 Finale: The Homecoming Part 3

The Homecoming Part 3

Author's Note: I would like to thank randomkungfupandafan for his ideas for this episode.

When the four of us got back inside the caverns, Bigwig headed back over to check the progress of the diggers of "The Hanging Rock". Meanwhile, Hazel came up with a brilliant idea that could stall some time from Woundwart's advance. He planned of blocking the water fall with some strong rocks and boulders, until Woundwart's arrive that we release the blockage and the water would take them. Fiver rolled a few rocks and small boulders, while Hazel and I lift them one at a time to pile them. It was probably to say not the greatest lifting of anything, but it was wonderful that I have a friend that helped me team-lift those boulders. It took us about five to ten minutes to lift them, until we finished the last boulder. I was running out of breath, because of my weak muscle tone kicked in that I had to stop.

"What an amazing idea, Hazel!" Fiver complimented. "Are you sure you didn't get it from Blackberry?"

I chuckled to think of it was funny. "Yeah... it seems that way."

"I do have thoughts of my own, you know." Hazel smiled.

I continued to breathe in and out quickly, as I was trying to slow it down.

"Andrew, take fewer breaths. You should slow it down." Fiver suggested.

"I'm trying too... this is what happens you have a decreased muscle tone and you lift heavy items, with help or not." I told him.

"This happens when you're at work?" Hazel asked.

"Yes, I just need a few seconds rest and I'll be all better." I answered.

"Come on, we'll check to see any sight of Campion or worst Woundwart's army." Hazel decided that we'll walk together to see the outside of the warren.

We walked over by the exit of the caverns to see no one is at sight. I sat down on the water, as I'm getting my pants wet, but I started to breathe better.

"Are you better?" Hazel placed his paw on my shoulder.

"I alright. Sort of." I answered. "I even more worried of Campion now than ever."

"He's a strong rabbit. I'm sure he'll be alright." Hazel assured me.

"I'm not too sure. I feel like I'm dying." I added. "Deep down... I feel like something is going to happen to me and everyone else."

"Nothing is going to happen to you." Hazel swore. "We'll defend this warren to the last rabbit standing."

I nodded my head. "Is your kittens safe?"

"They're in good hands. Primrose is looking after them, as well she is looking after Tyler." Hazel answered.

We than saw a rabbit hopped on the bridge's cliff to see it was Campion.

"It's Campion." I whispered. "I feel like it's a warning that Woundwart's army is here."

"If it is, we need to head back inside." Hazel told me.

We got back inside the caverns and saw Fiver standing on top of the covered fall.

"This is Fiver, Andrew. Woundwart and his army are nearby." Hazel told us.

I shook my head, as my heart's beating quickly. Fiver knew that fighting was wrong, but he knew that defending the warren is the top priority and fighting is the last resort.

"It's madness! Rabbit against rabbit, fighting and hatred! For what?!" Fiver thought it was absurd to fight.

"I don't know, Fiver." Hazel placed his paw on his little brother's shoulder. "I don't think Woundwart knows. We have to stop him or everything we've built or it ends in ruin."

"I guess there's a saying 'victorious warriors wins first, than go to war. While defeated warriors go to war first, and than seek to win.'" I quoted off from _The Arts of War_.

"We never heard of an _Owsla_ saying on that." Hazel wondered where I got the quote from.

"It was from Sun Tzu's _The Art of War_. It was a military book for military strategists. We may win this fight and go to war, while Woundwart has declared on us before and tried to wipe us out, but will lose the war."

"Still, I can't stand fighting amongst each other!" Fiver exclaimed.

"We all can't stand war. Where I come from, it's important to be in the war to help solve some certain issues that we can't always talk them out of it. However, it is important that we should fight in last resort, but if we're getting put into the fighting or made us fight, sometimes there's no other way." I sadly put it, in reality.

"Campion, Vervain, Moss, with me!" we heard Woundwart's voice, as he and his army found their way underground. "High mark, form up and follow us in!"

We than saw Woundwart and his army at our direction and spotted us. "Take them!"

"Now!" Hazel whispered to Fiver and I, as we withdraw, from there we saw a hanging stick that it was part of Hazel's plan. Hazel and Fiver started to pull the edge of the stick with their mouths, as I pulled near the end of the stick with my hands.

"It won't pull through!" I exclaimed.

"Keep trying!" Hazel shouted, while trying to pull the stick. We continued to pull the stick harder and harder, until the three of us fall on our backs. "Did we do it?"

I showed them the stick, as it's lying on the surface.

"You missed!" an _Efrafan_ rabbit ridiculed.

"'This is where you fall.'" I quoted Johnny Cage's ridiculous, but hilarious quote from _Mortal Kombat_ movie. The rocks and boulders started to quake and it collapsed, as a wave of water pushed the army away, as they're floating away. We noticed Campion was on the surface and chuckled at us as in a compliment.

"That won't hold them for long, come on!" Hazel warned Fiver and I, as he started to withdraw and we followed him.

* * *

We followed Hazel up towards the underground cavern tunnels and we saw two rabbits in guard and sentry. "Who goes there?" we heard Captain Broom's voice.

"It's us!" I shouted.

"Friend or foe?" Captain Broom continued.

"Neither or, it's John Wayne and his cowboy buddies." I joked.

"If it's foe, go away!" Dandelion's voice hilariously exclaimed.

Hazel, Fiver, and I showed our faces, as we came to see Captain Broom and Dandelion. "WHAT WAS THAT?! That was the best thing you came up to say, Dandelion?!" I exclaimed.

"It was the only way to make the enemy, leave." Dandelion stated, as I felt like a mushroom cloud, came out of my mouth, as I exhaled and had a seat drop from head.

"Woundwart's coming!" Hazel exclaimed.

"What's the password?" Dandelion makes us guess the password.

"Are you serious? We never discussed a password!" I exclaimed.

"'Wet and Cross.'" Fiver answered. Dandelion and Captain Broom nodded their heads as the correct answer, before we continued to follow Hazel further.

"Since when did you know the password, Fiver?" I questioned him.

"He told me." Fiver admitted.

I shook my head, as we continued to hurry down the tunnel path, until we finally reached towards where the rest of the _Owsla_ were digging. "Blackberry, how's the digging coming?" Hazel asked.

"I... need... more time." Blackberry answered.

"We may not have it!" Hazel exclaimed.

"If we can't bring the rock down, we'll have to make a stand." Bigwig stated.

"You didn't see his army, Bigwig. He's got every warrior in _Efrafa_ on their way up here." Fiver added.

"Like Black Friday came early this year." I said.

"We'll pick them off, as they come through the narrow pit." Bigwig planned.

"A bold strategy, my boy!" Captain Broom commended Bigwig's plan. "Do or die in all that, Capital!"

Hazel nodded his head and agreed to the strategy. "Right, it's worth a shot! Bigwig! You, Fiver, Andrew, and Captain Broom will follow me. Dandelion! You and Hawkbit get Captain Holly, Blackavar, and the rest! Form up at the back burrow, if they get past us it's up to you!"

" _Frith_ be with ya." Dandelion said to us.

"And may God be with all of us." I said, before I followed Hazel and the rest to the narrow pit of the cavern. I pulled out my switchblade and never thought I was going to use it again, since I was about to use it to kill Woundwart during the rescue, but I contemplated in the last minute to let him go.

"Hazel, Bigwig, and everyone... do you mind if I have to defend myself with a knife?" I asked them.

"Why questioned us at this time?!" Bigwig exclaimed.

"Because humans killed more than rabbits do." I stated. "I just feel bad that I have no other choice, if I have to defend myself."

"Do what you have to do, Andrew. To defend this warren." Hazel boldly stated.

I nodded my head. "Alright, if you say so."

I opened up my switchblade, hopefully for the last time. Hazel, Fiver, and myself were overlooking down towards the path to the waterfall. I was looking at my blade and my hands, as I looked at Hazel and Fiver. They looked after me dearly, along with the rest of the warren. However, I admire both Hazel and Fiver the most that I decided to make our bonding stronger. "Do you guys want to make a quick pact?"

"What's that?" Fiver asked.

"We make a small cut and we have to pressed the cuts together to bond." I answered.

"We already bonded." Hazel stated.

"I know, but it's so much more... even it may be our last that we work together to defend this warren. I look up to you both, since I first laid eyes on you guys. That I could envy and wish I have a bonding relationship like that. I love you guys." I explained, as I small cuts in both of my hands.

Hazel and Fiver looked at each other and nodded, as they lift their paws. "We accept, brother." Hazel stated. A tear fell from my eye, as I gave small minor cuts on their paw, before we pressed our cuts together. At that moment, I felt their blood started to flow through my veins.

"I could feel it! A stronger bond than before." Fiver felt it.

"As do I, little brother." Hazel felt it also.

"It's a privilege and honor to be by your side... to the end?" I said.

"To the end!" Hazel and Fiver said together. We than looked down the tunnel path and noticed Woundwart and his army arrived.

"Surrender, Hazel! Perhaps, I'll let some of your warren live! As to you also, human!" Woundwart stated.

"NEVER!" I shouted.

"We stand or fall here Woundwart!" Hazel boldly declared.

"Then you will die!" Woundwart began to charge up and tackled Hazel to the ground with strong might.

"Hazel!" I hurried to his side, as Fiver kicked some _Efrafa_ rabbits back. I tackled up at Woundwart and he quickly got up, as I opened my blade. "Get away from him, you minging rodent!"

Woundwart growled. "There's only Woundwart! Witness the truth!"

"Come and get me first, you pansy jackass, momma's boy!" I cursed and hurried off, as Woundwart follows, as the Hazel and others fight off the rest. I mad dashed through the tunnels and have no idea where I was at, but try to delay Woundwart and losing his tracks. I hid behind a boulder and noticed him by his thumbing stomps, as he was close by.

"I know you're here! You can't hide forever! Only a matter of time." Woundwart spoke.

I waited for the right moment for him to come for a right tackle. It was a cat and mouse chase, as I remain silent, as the cat stalked for his prey, but he was none other than the same weight, as Garfield, but stronger. I than heard rocks crumble that it didn't came from me, but else where. Woundwart sniffed and left the area, as I followed his tail. I than spotted someone on the ground and it was Fiver, as he was on the ground and waited for his big brother to find him.

Woundwart got close to him and smirked. "I have been looking for you, mate."

He raised his claw, as he's attempting to finish one of his three most wanted enemies. I hurried quickly like a rabbit and got onto Woundwart's back. He started to spin back and forth, until he threw me to the ground. He charged up at me, as I reached for my blade and it finally made an impale, but he looked at as if it didn't hurt him at all.

"Bad idea." Woundwart growled. He started to claw at me, as I shield my face, but my arms started to get the marks. I started to kick him, but he didn't budge, as he come for my face with his teeth, but I managed to hold him off as possible, as I felt his drool coming out of him. He than rolled me on my stomach and started to crush my back.

"This is how it ends, human!" Woundwart evilly smiled. It was it and I knew I was going to die in a cavern and no one would find me.

"NOOO!" someone tackled him that pushed off of me onto the rocks. I looked over and it was Campion.

"Campion!" Woundwart shocked.

"Oh no." I whispered to myself.

"Forgive me, General." Campion apologized, without having any regret. Woundwart and Campion than start their Mortal Kombat, Captain vs Chief. I hurried over to Fiver and picked him up.

"Are you alright?" I asked him.

"I'm fine. Thank you." Fiver warmly smiled. Came out of nowhere was Hazel and Bigwig, as they had claw and bite marks on them. Along with them, was Captain Broom and he didn't even had a single injury, miraculously due to his fighting experience and Captain of an _Owsla_ in Redstone.

"Campion, come on!" Hazel shouted to Campion. Campion started to follow us, after he kicked some dust at Woundwart's face.

We hurried over to "The Hanging Rock" and a cave in is started to happen, as the rocks above started to lose structure. Blackberry was there waiting for us and telling us to get out of there, like a firefighter, an officer, and a port authority officer in New York warning bystanders to fall back, as the twin towers are collapse from the high-rise height.

"Campion!" Woundwart called him out. "You betrayed me! I'll tear you apart!"

I looked back to see "The Hanging Rock was starting to lose it's structure. "No." I hurried back before it was too late.

General look out!" Campion cried. He quickly shoved the dark scruffy rabbit out of harm's way back through the back tunnel with Vervain following behind but the boulder now was dangerously about to crush him. Woundwort then scowled at him.

"Remember this day Campion!" Yelled Woundwort. "You are hereby banished from Efrafa and will no longer serve in my army! We will not accept you back ever and should you try to return, the sentence shall be death!" He didn't want to retreat but wasn't going to risk becoming flattened and decided to regroup for the final attack. Bigwig's scars would have to be settled as a small victory alongside finding the alien Warren he sought since the arrival of Hazel and Fiver

"I knew you were different from the rest of us Campion," smirked Vervain. "Standing up for Primrose and Blackavar, that time you fought us in the rain and now denying the General his kill. You're soft like these Outsiders, enjoy your miserable banished life!" He then ran off laughing maniacally

Campion however was prepared to accept death after giving BlackBerry a sad farewell stare. I arrived in time, as I pulled Blackberry to the side, as I grabbed Campion and pushed him away towards Blackberry. Before I could head towards them, the rock crumbled and it started to shower over me that it knocked me to the ground and I became trapped as the cave started to collapse.

 _To Be_ _Continued_...


	82. Season 2 Finale: The Homecoming Epilogue

The Homecoming Epilogue

Campion and Blackberry thought it was a blur moment that they thought they would have their final goodbye, until Andrew intervened to pull Campion away from the cave in. Until they realized that Campion's life was spared.

"I was ready to accept death," said Campion. "Even after saving Andrew, I would have welcomed the boulder if it meant Woundwort couldn't get back through there but who took the fall?" Hazel, Bigwig, Captain Broom, and Fiver hurried over back where they spotted Campion and Blackberry.

"What happened?" Hazel asked them.

Campion and Blackberry looked at each other. "It's my fault. I was about to accept my fate..."

"What happened?" Bigwig asked.

Campion looked away, as he didn't show his tears. "Andrew saved his life." Blackberry answered.

Stricken by disbelief, Hazel instructed Bigwig to double the search throughout the warren, with the rest of the _Owsla_. "There's no way he could have died!"

"We saw it happened!" Blackberry started to tearfully mourn.

"I shouldn't let it happened. If he stayed where he was, nothing could have happened to him!" Campion exclaimed.

Hazel hopped over to the blocked path, where the cave in happened. He slowly placed his paw onto the blocked rumble of rocks and boulder. After he pressed it, his heart sank with his ears dropped. "Forgive me, Andrew. Forgive me, friend. Forgive me, brother."

Fiver placed his paw firmly next to Hazel's paw, as he solemnly despaired. "'The darkness comes to take us all. If we survive, than one will fall. To protect one of us, a sacrifice must be made. A promise kept to fulfill will deal us a great deal of pain. The fight to keep back the darkness will help the saved one see tomorrow, but the one who will sacrifice themselves will deal us a great deal of sorrow.'" Fiver recalled his earlier visions.

The rest of the _Owsla_ came back to inform Hazel.

"We've checked all the tunnels. No sight of him." sighed Bigwig. "Do you think he's..."

"Lord _Frith_ , my heart has joined the thousand. My friend stopped running today." Hazel prayed, as the rest of the rabbits took a moment of silence.

In a hurry, Sandy ran towards the caverns to see the rabbits. "Andrew?"

They turned back with solemn looks with grief and they refused to say what happened to him. Sandy shook her head, as her heart broke and tears rushed down.

"No!" she rushed over to the collapsed rocks and boulders, but held back by Hazel and Campion, as everyone's attention now became fixated in sadness on the rock site of the former man who had just sacrificed himself for Campion.

* * *

Later, Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig, Blackberry and Campion were outside of their warren watching the sunset, as they reflected on their fallen friend and ally.

"We'll see _Frith_ rise tomorrow, because Andrew gave his life for us today." Hazel declared.

"We'll not see any other human in his like again." Bigwig stated. "He was a warrior with a heart, big as the sky." Bigwig and Primrose headed back to the warren.

"The one who would save us, is the one we can't save. My vision. All those times we thought it could have been Campion and never thought Andrew would fall. I couldn't help." Fiver sadly recalled his vision back in Redstone, as he visioned about Campion's demise.

"It's not your fault, Fiver." Hazel told him.

"The world isn't always fair to us," Campion replied. "I'll cherish my life at Watership Down, but my mind tells me Woundwart isn't done with us yet."

"I am glad you're at least free from Woundwort now," Blackberry said, as she nuzzled him, before they both nuzzled. "However, I do wish it was under better circumstances, even for Andrew's sake."

"What are we going to do, Hazel?" Fiver asked.

"What our ancestors did before us... we go on Fiver. We go on." Hazel stated.

Fiver nodded and headed his way back to the warren. Before Hazel started his way back to the warren, he gazed at the beautiful sunset as it started to sink with the skies turning golden orange. Hazel made a hopeful smile, as he remembered when he and Andrew shared the morning sunrises and sunsets, as the skies turned golden orange. "Stay gold, Andrew. Stay gold."

 _Seize upon that moment long ago_

 _One breath away and there you will be_  
 _So young and carefree_  
 _Again you will see_  
 _That place in time...so gold_  
 _Steal away into that way back when_  
 _You thought that all would last forever_  
 _But like the weather_  
 _Nothing can ever...and be in time_  
 _Stay gold_  
 _But can it be_  
 _When we can see_  
 _So vividly_  
 _A memory_  
 _And yes you say_  
 _So must the day_  
 _Too, fade away_  
 _And leave a ray of sun_  
 _So gold_  
 _Life is but a twinkling of an eye_  
 _Yet filled with sorrow and compassion_  
 _though not imagined_  
 _All things that happen_  
 _Will age too old_  
 _Though gold_

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Notes: There you have it folks! Season 2 is finished, as Season 3 comes in. I wanted to thank everyone from the beginning and for those, who have been reading the series. I would like to thank Supernova2015, who is my collaborator for the series, as to for The Chronicles of Mason Smith Series. Also, I would like to thank randomkungfupandafan for his ideas for this episode. Please feel free to write what you thought about both Seasons 1 and 2 so far. Stay Tuned for Season 3, as more to come!


	83. Episode 26: The Last Battle Prologue

The Last Battle Prologue

 _We fled fear and destruction to make a new home in the high hills. But there is one, who would destroy the peace we found... Woundwart! Now there's no choice, we must fight for the future of Watership Down!_

It was probably ten minutes, I woke up. I didn't see any sign of life. It was nothing, but pitch black of darkness all around me. I was squeezed tight, as my body couldn't be able to move at all. The rocks and boulders were crushing my legs and my right side. I couldn't be able to reach for my phone, as it's in my pocket, as well as my switchblade. It became difficult for me to breath, as air was limited. My eyes started to fail, as it became blurry and losing sight. I didn't expect to die in a crumbled cave, but I knew my vision warned me of a premonition. I had no other choice to save Campion, as he already had demons enough, but now he's free at his new home. I guess I won't die in vain. Trying to accomplish something that I couldn't done, but I did. I let out my last breath and fall into a deep sleep.

I woke up once again. This time, I wasn't even in the caverns, I was in a collapsed, crumble that it used to be a building some sort. The steels bend, as well with pipes, concrete stones. I couldn't even move more alike before and I was stuck. I could only see a small gleam of light that it may be the sky. However, the colorful sky faded, as the smoke covers the sky completely that I couldn't see the blue sky. The smoke started to fill up my surroundings and it formed like a black cloud, until a shadowy figure filled up the rumble. It was some unknown creature that apparently it came from the depths and shaped like a rabbit and it's eyes are red. Could it be from the devil's lair? Or a creature that it was heard from the _El-ahrairah_ stories.

"Hello." I spoke weakly.

"You know who I'm don't you." the figure spoke.

I tried to look, but my eyes were still little blurry, until I got a clean view. "You're _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_."

"Very observant." it spoke.

"You may be the rabbit's grim reaper, but only The Good Lord knows when it's mine time. You have no power over Him!" I stated.

"Your time has not come, Andrew." _The Black Rabbit_ spoke.

"How do you know?" I questioned.

 _The Black Rabbit_ looked around the rumble. "Where do you suppose we're at?"

I knew that I'm caved in a collapse building, until I knew off the top of my head. "This can't the World Center Towers!"

"It is."

In disbelief, I shook my head. "Why did you send me there? I was only a young boy when this happened!"

"You learned... didn't you?"

"I did. When I got older, still I can't forget the ones who are trapped here. Not many of them were pulled out of here alive. Why have you really send them there?" I asked again.

"Your interest of history makes you dream certain events. You may have visions that you seen that saved Bigwig's and Campion's life. As also Hazel's." _The Black Rabbit_ spoke.

"They're like a family to me. They looked after me since, I came here." I explained.

"They have, but they may not live forever, as it must be." he said.

"No... I won't let anything bad happened to them! I couldn't protect Tyler, but I'll protect the others!" I exclaimed.

 _The Black Rabbit_ remained silent, until he spoke. "Before you return to your world, you'll have dark trails you may have to face. Before we meet for the last time."

"What is my trails? How would I know and am I safe in my world? What has happened to me?" I asked.

"When the time comes... you'll know..." he answered without giving me any clues or explanations, before he started to disappear in smoke.

There was a quake that shook me and I look up to the very small hole, where I saw the blue sky, as the smoke started to turn more blacker, as more concrete rocks and bits of steel started to shower over me, as another collapse happened, probably the second tower I guess. The dust was hitting my eyes that I had no other choice, but to close them as the dust and debris began to shower over me.

It lasted only about a few seconds, until I woke up and I was back in the caverns. I was still crushed, but I could be able to see another end, as I looked to see three rabbits out there talking and they're familiar voices that I wished to hear again. It may be my only chance to be free from the collapsed cave and I screamed.

 _Help! Help! I'm buried and I need help!_ Before my eyes closed, I started to see a shining light that it I would be free, also of hearing their voices, as they're perhaps digging their way through to pull me out.

 _To Be Continued..._

Author's Note: Since I've been busy writing the series, I would write a story tribute for the 9/11 anniversary, but I decided to do it on this prologue, as we're about hit the 17 year anniversary of the attacks. I would like to dedicate this prologue to the victims of the World Trade Center that were perished and the ones who were pulled out. Also, of course, in memory to those who perished in the attacks and to the survivors.


	84. Episode 26: The Last Battle Part 1

The Last Battle Part 1

After I passed out as there was a clearing that the voices pulled me out of the rubble, I couldn't remember what happened or how I was being pulled out. I than started to hear voices and my eyes became clearer to see that I was back in my burrow and I was covered with my blankets.

"Andrew died for Watership Down." I heard that it was Hazel's voice. "We have to sacrifice mean something."

"Then we take the war to General Woundwart." Bigwig's voice came.

"Yes, 'the war to end all wars'." I heard Hazel quoting it and thought to myself.

 _That's The Great War_. I said to myself that it was called.

"Woundwart lost a lot of his troops here." Hazel said.

I started to move slightly a bit, still feeling a bit of soreness on my legs and back. I than heard Fiver gasped and spotted me moving.

"Andrew! You're alive!" Fiver exclaimed, as he saw my eyes opened. They turned towards and saw me. It was sore sight to see a fallen friend alive and well.

"Andrew, thank _Frith_ and _Prince Rainbow's messengers_! Hazel praised.

"We thought we lost you. How are you feeling?" Bigwig asked.

"Where... is he?" I questioned them.

They didn't catch what I said. "Who?"

"Where is Woundwart?!" I questioned in bit of anger.

"He and his army fled. They lost most of their troops and they're probably going to recover their strength, before they could come back." Bigwig answered.

"I also saw him." I said, as my anger faded into somewhat little fear inside of that I nearly shook.

" _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_." Fiver guessed.

I took a deep breath and nodded my head. "Yes."

They gasped and thought he brought me back to life, alike to Tyler. "Bigwig, fetch Blackberry and we'll need her help to heal Andrew. Finally, we're going to attack, while the _Efrafans_ are licking their wounds."

"About time." Bigwig nodded firmly and left the burrow.

"I was there... I dreamed that I was at the World Trade Center towers in the collapsed. That's where I saw him. I told him what happened there where not many people were pulled out of the rubble." I told them.

"Is that what happened?" Hazel questioned. "He took you there?"

I nodded. "Before I came back into the caverns, I heard voices and a bright shining light that I was able to be free."

"We heard voices and assume someone was trapped there. Until we saw your face buried in the rocks." Fiver explained.

I started to sit, but still feel bit of soreness that I felt pain on my back. Hazel and Fiver rushed over to me and gently lifted me up.

"Take it easy, brother. I'm sure you been through enough already. The last thing you need to do is rest." Hazel cautioned me.

"Not for long. I'm going to join you in the fight." I spoke up.

"Not a wise decision, brother. You need to rest, Blackberry will come in soon to help you. It may take days." Fiver rejected.

"No... I feel more alive than before."

"It won't be safe for you that to go out and fight, in your condition. It may take days to recover and we wait, they'll come back with a stronger army." Hazel explained.

"No he won't." I spoke. "He's just boasting to get his revenge. I'm sure some of his _Owsla_ by now are thinking of the loses they have that at least one of them will silently say, 'I have enough of this.' For Vervain, he's afraid. He knew what he did and he'll be hunted by us for sure and he'll run off like any other cat, when chased by a dog."

"Because of Tyler." Hazel added.

"Yes... how is he?" I decided to ask about Tyler, if he's ever woken up yet.

Hazel closed his eyes and shook his head. "No sign yet."

I lowered my head in shame. "I could have saved him. Vervain took him away from us. He was only a young buck with more life ahead."

"Just get some rest, we'll see how you're feeling, as we're checking up on Tyler." Hazel advised me.

I shook my head for a "no". "I'm not going to hide myself over fear. I've been creating animosity with _Efrafa_. By a revolt and freeing some rabbits; including your mate to be at the time, been captured by them and later rescued by you guys. I'm not afraid anymore. They could try what they do back them. It was like I died twice and I came back to life twice. I do not fear death anymore, as I have been before and died. I'm going with you."

Fiver was still worried that I was losing my mind, however Hazel knew that I was determined to help them as he lift his paw with his "Mark of Friendship" we pact "As brothers."

"As brothers." Fiver smiled a bit, as he lifted his paw with his mark.

I than lifted my hands with both marks: one for Hazel and another for Fiver. I pressed and hold onto their paws. "Blood Brothers."

Bigwig came back with Blackberry and she was astonished. "Andrew, it can't be."

"It is." I said back.

She rushed over to me and hugged, I even felt a little sting, but I could toughen it out for a hug. "Sorry."

I shook my head. "Don't worry."

"If it's possible that you could heal his wounds soon as possible, he'll be joining us." Hazel instructed her.

"It may take time, but I'll see what I could do." Blackberry nodded her head, as she fetched for herbs.

"Just rest for now and whenever you're ready, we'll meet at The Honeycomb." Hazel told me.

"I'll be ready than." I nodded.

"Come on, little brother. We have to gather an army." Hazel turned towards Fiver, before they headed off with Bigwig.

I lay back on my bed and started to take a brief nap, before Blackberry would and started to put on some herbs to clean my wounds.

* * *

After nearly an hour's rest and I woke up to see some scraps of herbs were covering my wounds. There was a stick beside me and assume it may be for walking, until I get my bearings on my feet. I felt less sore than before and not feeling to much pain. I put on a new shirt, as I saw my torn and clawed shirt is damaged. After putting on a new shirt and new pants that were beside my stick, I grabbed hold on the stick and tried to pick myself up. The first attempt failed, but I couldn't give up right away, as I was determined to finish off what I have started.

The second attempt, I picked myself up with the stick, as I work on my legs. Finally, I straighten my legs and started to walk by the stick first, until it worked, as I go with the flow. I left my burrow for the first time, feeling like a real man. The first stop that I have to go was to see how Tyler was doing. When I arrived over at Tyler's and Clover's burrow, Tyler was still unconscious, as if he was still asleep for one full day. Beside him, was Sandy, as she was cleaning his wounds continuously without them getting infected.

She turned over to the burrow's entrance and saw me. "Andrew!"

I walked slowly towards and tried to lower down, but she stopped me. She rose up and saw some markings on my face and arms. "You were dead!"

"I was..." I said. "How are you and Tyler?"

She started to sob, as she hugged me. "It's alright, I'm here."

"I thought I lost you!" she cried. "I don't know what to do, without you!"

"But I'm here, that's all it matters. Now, how's Tyler?"

She cleaned herself and shook her head. "I'm sorry..."

I tried to have her take some slow breaths before she could speak, as she was hysteric and relieved. "Alright. Tyler still hasn't awoken since we helped him with his wounds. Even Blackberry is struggling to keep him alive."

I looked over him to see him, breathing faintly, as if he was giving up, but he continues to fight for his life. His eye patch is there to cover his eye and his fur was torn and nearly mutilated. "Keep fighting Tyler, just keep fighting as you're still breathing. Just keep breathing."

Clover and Hawkbit came into the burrow to check on their son. "Andrew, you're a sight for sore eyes!"

Clover came over towards me. "Please help us, no matter what you do. I want my son to be alive."

I nodded my hand, as I touched her paw and made a promise. "I'll do whatever power I can to help son, even if takes to avenge him." I looked over to Hawkbit, as he nodded his head for approval.

"Is everyone still gathering an army?"

"Fiver and Blackberry are about to head off to find Bark, while Pipkin is fetching Darkling." Hawkbit answered.

"Oh well, I might as well since I'm up and join Fiver. I would like to see a kind heartened badger giving Fiver a big hug." I started to head my way out.

"Are you sure you're alright, you're still limping?" Sandy asked.

"I'll live and besides the better way to get my walk recover is to walk. That's why I have this." I lifted up my cane.

"A stick?" Hawkbit questioned.

"Cane." I corrected. "I'll be back." I started to walk with my cane, as I still feel a bit of the soreness.

* * *

As I'm making way towards the Honeycomb, I noticed the kittens were being entertained by Dandelion, as the rest of the rabbits were socializing about. I tried to hurry, because I didn't want to create the center of attention or create a huge thriller. Unfortunately, it didn't last long, as Hazel's and Primrose's kittens spotted me.

"Uncle Andrew's back!" I heard Snowdrop exclaimed that got everyone's attention towards me.

"It's miracle!" I heard Dandelion praised.

"Thank _Frith_!" Captain Broom praised.

"What happened down there?" Captain Holly questioned.

"Did Woundwart and his army fled?" Comet questioned.

"How did you save Campion from certain death?" Blackavar questioned.

I couldn't be able to speak or get away from them. I was coming to the pressure that my Autism came back, whenever I couldn't be able to say anything and ask for some space.

"Alright, that's enough. We're going to give him some space!" Campion came in time. Even Primrose told the kittens to leave, as she took them to their burrow.

"Listen I need some time to myself." I told them, but it got lost in translation or hearing the questions that continued to sound off like the news press. "Please go back to your burrows or elsewhere."

They started to question me why, than I had enough of it. "PLEASE GO BACK TO YOUR BURROWS OR GO ELSEWHERE NOW!"

Most took a ease to it, as some took it to the offense like the Captains, until they got my point. I wasn't the same human I was before Woundwart and his army came, as it was almost like it was gone, equivalent to being rescued from _Efrafa_ as a prisoner. The Honeycomb was quiet, as it was just me and Campion.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come out and ruin it. I was just needed to see Fiver so I could join him." I apologized.

"No need to apologize, but I'm afraid he already left with Blackberry." Campion stated.

"Oh. Well, I guess I better go outside for a bit. I could get some fresh air." I said, as I started to make my way that I nearly tripped, but Campion caught my fall.

"Are you needing an escort, I don't think it's wise to be off alone, as you're still recovering." Campion suggested.

"I think I could manage fine. I'll probably be by the warren or by the brook." I assured and I continued to walk.

"Andrew..." I turned around, as Campion halted me. "I... I wanted to say thank for what you have done for me. It took lots of courage for a human to save a fellow rabbit, such as myself that I'm not worthy to be saved."

"You're worthy. You done enough for us. You continuing it is commended, but I don't much courage alike to Tyler's. I'm sure you heard some of his stories that he saved rabbits and other animals since he was two. Me around his age, I was starting to get evaluated by doctors and told my parents that I was diagnosed with high functioning Autism. I don't call myself being brave, it's what one of Potter's professors say, 'sheer dumb luck'."

"I disagree. Since I watched you; while being in _Efrafa_ to free some rabbits, one of them Primrose, and being imprisoned there. You showed loyalty of not revealing this warren. Even more adventures, Hazel and the others told me about. I'm amazed to see you're still standing with bravery." Campion complimented.

"Thanks Campion." I thanked him.

"One day, you'll find your way home. One way or the another." Campion warmly smiled.

I smiled with a nod, before continuing to head out of the warren. When I got out of the warren, I bright shining light shined my eyes that I had block it, until i could be able to see the peaceful "high, lonely hills" still proud and beautiful. I walked slowly my way down to the brook, where I decided to give myself a quick wash. When I got into the water, I continued to feel bits of stings from my scars, but it was minimal due to Blackberry's herbs to ease the pain. It took about ten minutes to get myself cleaned and rejuvenate, before I got out of the brook and started to head my way back to warren. Hopefully, if what Hazel said it was true, "the last battle to end all wars", I only hoped and prayed for it to be the last, as it could take toll and traumatic experiences on someone and everyone.

 _To Be Continued..._


	85. Author's Note September 11th Anniversary

Hello my fellow readers, I put to the writing on hold for tomorrow's September 11th anniversary. However, I'll be resuming in the following evening or the next day. Normally, like I said before my previous note, from the Prologue of The Last Battle that I would normally do a short story about the attacks, but I decided to use the prologue in a Dream sequence of Andrew stuck in the rubble of the WTC towers after the collapse and saw The Black Rabbit of Inle'. If you're interested, feel free to read _Miracle on the 92nd Floor_ and _The Chronicles of Mason Smith Short: When The World Stop Turning_. Never forget for those who lost their lives during the attacks on the World Trade Center Towers, The Pentagon, and the flights that crashed (Flight's 11, 175, 77, and finally the heroic passengers and crew on board Flight 93), as well of course of the survivors of the attacks. Also, there's a wonderful song by Alan Jackson called _Where Were You When The World Stop Turning_. Feel free to listen to the song on YouTube, as the lyrics are down below. See you soon and stay tuned!

 _Where were you when the world stopped turnin'_  
 _That September day?_  
 _Were you in the yard with your wife and children_  
 _Or workin' on some stage in L.A.?_  
 _Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke_  
 _Risin' against that blue sky?_  
 _Did you shout out in anger, in fear for your neighbor_  
 _Or did you just sit down and cry?_

 _Did you weep for the children, they lost their dear loved ones_  
 _Pray for the ones who don't know?_  
 _Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble_  
 _And sob for the ones left below?_  
 _Did you burst out with pride for the red, white, and blue_  
 _And the heroes who died just doin' what they do?_  
 _Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer_  
 _And look at yourself and what really matters?_

 _I'm just a singer of simple songs_  
 _I'm not a real political man_  
 _I watch CNN, but I'm not sure I can tell you_  
 _The diff'rence in Iraq and Iran_  
 _But I know Jesus and I talk to God_  
 _And I remember this from when I was young_  
 _Faith, hope, and love are some good things He gave us_  
 _And the greatest is love_

 _Where were you when the world stopped turnin'_  
 _That September day?_  
 _Teachin' a class full of innocent children_  
 _Or drivin' down some cold interstate?_  
 _Did you feel guilty 'cause you're a survivor?_  
 _In a crowded room did you feel alone?_  
 _Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her?_  
 _Did you dust off that Bible at home?_

 _Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened_  
 _Close your eyes and not go to sleep?_  
 _Did you notice the sunset for the first time in ages_  
 _And speak to some stranger on the street?_  
 _Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow_  
 _Go out and buy you a gun?_  
 _Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watchin'_  
 _And turn on I Love Lucy reruns?_  
 _Did you go to a church and hold hands with some strangers_  
 _Stand in line to give your own blood?_  
 _Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family_  
 _Thank God you had somebody to love?_

 _I'm just a singer of simple songs_  
 _I'm not a real political man_  
 _I watch CNN, but I'm not sure I can tell you_  
 _The diff'rence in Iraq and Iran_  
 _But I know Jesus and I talk to God_  
 _And I remember this from when I was young_  
 _Faith, hope, and love are some good things He gave us_  
 _And the greatest is love_  
 _I'm just a singer of simple songs_  
 _I'm not a real political man_  
 _I watch CNN, but I'm not sure I can tell you_  
 _The diff'rence in Iraq and Iran_  
 _But I know Jesus and I talk to God_  
 _And I remember this from when I was young_  
 _Faith, hope, and love are some good things He gave us_  
 _And the greatest is love_

 _And the greatest is love_  
 _And the greatest is love_

 _Where were you when the world stopped turnin'_  
 _On that September day?_


	86. Episode 26: The Last Battle Part 2

The Last Battle Part 2

I started my climb up the down, until I reached the top where I saw Hazel and Bigwig are waiting for news: about whose joining us in the final battle against _Efrafa_. By the time I rejoined them, we heard Kehaar's call, as he and Hannah came back.

"Andrew, you're ALIVE!" Kehaar gave me a hug that squeezed the pain.

"Kehaar, it's good to see you too. If you don't mind... you don't squeeze me too hard." I smiled, while being squeezed from his wings.

"Keehar sorry."

"What news do you bring us?" Hazel asked Kehaar and Hannah.

"Half of the animals on the down are on their way. Moles, voles, water-rats, birds, and lot. They're all fighting for us." Hannah answered.

"Wow." I was amazed that almost most of the animals that lived on the down are joining us.

"This will be glorious, eh Hazel?" Bigwig remarked.

"There's nothing glorious about war, Bigwig." Hazel stated.

"Most wars could be for glorious for victories for the achievements in battle, but the impacts of the post-war affects everyone, for those they severed." I added.

"Yeah... maybe you're right." Bigwig said.

We than saw Fiver being carried up to the down by Bark, as Blackberry followed them. "Hey you might consider putting me down, Bark. Really, this isn't very dignified. Oh Bark!"

The three of us chuckled, as Blackberry joined also. "Sorry Fiver, you two look adorable like that though." I apologized.

"Andrew, friend!" Bark dropped Fiver to the ground and gave me, a stronger hug than Kehaar's. A snap from the bones, relieved my stressing back.

"Hello Bark, it's good to see you again. I take you're joining us I bet."

"Yes, Bark likes to fight." Bark nodded and looked around. "Where's Tyler, friend?"

I got the heartache, after she asked that and I didn't want to say it.

"He was severely injured by an enemy of ours that we're going to battle against." Bigwig answered.

Bark clinched her claws. "Bark fight for friend."

"It won't be in vain." I added.

* * *

Later on the day, almost every animal of the down gathered at the Honeycomb where Hazel is going to make his speech. It was like a huge war meeting in the Situation Room in the White House, but twice of the capacity.

"It's a travesty, in my days we fought our battles rabbit against rabbit. None of this inter-species mingling." Captain Broom objects, while speaking to Primrose and I.

"Hazel believes in new ways of doing things. New ideas." Primrose reasoned. "He always has."

"Haven't heard a new idea, half as a good one, Primrose my dear."

"If I haven't been here or everybody else in the matter, maybe you guys wouldn't be able to stand a chance against Woundwart's army." I stated. "Where I come from, there would be certain battles that would only involve us or another from other countries we collaborate with as a team."

"It's best for the rabbit against rabbit, for my opinion." Captain Broom stated.

"Point taken." I said, before a bird landed on his head between his ears. I giggled, as I shook my head.

"If I could have your attention." Hazel tried to get everyone's attention, but lost in the chatter room, as other animals are talking like students.

"OI! Built up you lots!" Bigwig shouted that the chatter went silent.

"We stand together on the eve of our last battle with _Efrafa_. With your help, we shall be victorious. In this awful enterprise, and there is only one good thing that comes of it. Peace. By morning's light, the struggle will be over and we'll have peace. For all time." Hazel spoke.

The animals cheered along side with the rabbits. I stood quietly and nodded my head. "Before we turn over to Bigwig for the plans, we have a human among us since the beginning and he may want to say a few words." Hazel spoke, before turning his head towards me and called me to speak.

I went over to the center of the Honeycomb where Hazel and Bigwig are standing, as they nodded their heads.

"Uhh... hi. I don't really have that much to say. All I could say that I have been with them in their journey to finding a new warren. However, really I was hiking my way to a nearest village only to be bonked on the head by a falling branch." The animals chuckled and laughed, before I continued. "When I woke up, I was searching around to find out I was a size like everyone else in this hall or burrow in this case. That wasn't until these Rabbits at a pond, as they're making a crossing while they're escaping from a dog. After saving two fellow rabbits: Fiver and Pipkin, they welcomed me to be part of the journey to find a new warren. It wasn't until the next day, we finally made home at Watership Down. However, peace didn't last until we discovered about _Efrafa_ and their chief. They wagered war on us and the whole warren. Until yesterday, they did was unprecedented. They discovered the underground of our home warren and we defended the warren to the end. Without the help of two of our fellow rabbits: one of which is Captain Campion, who was from _Efrafa_ than went rouge to help us relay information of the latest movement and advance of Woundwart of his army." The animals cheered for Campion, as he stood and bowed.

"Finally, a fellow rabbit named Tyler. You guys probably know him as 'the human reborn as a rabbit'. He was a young buck with a kind heart and soul. We also know him as a friend and a rescuer to the animals of the down and the world over. He was severely injured by a coward rabbit from _Efrafa_. When we go into battle, we'll not let this battle be in vain, as we march towards _Efrafa_. 'March to _Efrafa_!'" I finally exclaimed with my fist in the air.

"March to _Efrafa_!" the animals exclaimed also.

"Nicely done, lad." Bigwig patted my back, as I began to head my way down.

"Alright, lads! Each of you is assigned to a unit. Make sure you know whose in charge of it." Bigwig announced. "Listen to what they tell you and obey them instantly without question."

Fiver gasped, as I was the only heard it. "Fiver?" I went over to him and placed my hand on his shoulder.

 _Long dark trail leads through sorrow and night, follow your heart and you come to the light_. Fiver visioned.

"What does it mean?" I asked him.

Fiver shook himself. "Oh, I don't know."

"If you've got any questions, ask your unit commander. We assemble at the stone bridge after sunset. Kehaar is our pathfinder, keep an eye on him you'll get where you're going." Bigwig continued.

Everyone basically understood what Bigwig said and they're ready. "That's it than, dismissed."

It would be a couple of hours after giving assignments to the unit, planning, and final preparations that we began our march towards _Efrafa_ , as the rest of the animals of the down,following Kehaar and Hannah, to be positioned. I noticed the dark gray clouds roamed around the dark orange sunset skies.

"A storm will be along the way." I remarked.

"It seems that way." Fiver spoke.

"Can we trust them?" Bigwig asked Hazel.

"Let's hope so." Hazel hoped. "Our plan depends on them."

"Dashed unfair being left behind, to herd the youngsters." Captain Broom disappointed of not being able to join on the fight.

"They our future, Captain Broom. There's no important job than to keeping them safe." Primrose spoke to him.

"No, of course not." he spoke. "That's the trouble when you get to my age, the past looks more important in the future."

"I'm pretty sure you had to look after them or others at one point in your life, did you Captain Broom?" I asked him.

"And also making sure Tyler is awake." Hawkbit added.

He thought for a moment and decided to let it go. "Oh well, once I was a warrior." Before he tended the kittens.

Primrose, Hawkbit, and I joined in with Hazel and Bigwig. "Are you ready?"

We nodded our heads. "We're ready. 'Let's Roll.'" I answered with a quote.

Hazel nodded. "Time to go." We began to make our march to _Efrafa_ to make a surprise attack. I managed to look back at the warren and thought about Tyler.

 _Please recover soon. We need you._ I said to myself, as I put my headphones on and listened to The Doors' _The End_.

 _This is the end_  
 _Beautiful friend_  
 _This is the end_  
 _My only friend_

 _The end_  
 _Of our elaborate plans_  
 _The end_  
 _Of everything that stands_  
 _The end_  
 _No safety or surprise_  
 _The end_  
 _I'll never look into your eyes_  
 _Again_

 _Can you picture what will be_  
 _So limitless and free_  
 _Desperately in need of some stranger's hand_  
 _In a desperate land_

* * *

As we advanced to _Efrafa_ , the rain clouds made the sky more darker with thunder booms. When we arrived at the stone bridge or the border, we spotted two _Efrafa_ rabbits guarding the bridge.

"Get down! Everybody stay hidden, until we cleared the bridge." Bigwig whispered to the rest of the animals. "Sent the two water-rats. I need two volunteers."

"I'll go with them." I spoke. "But wait until the rain makes it's first drop."

"There's no time-" Before Bigwig could finish, a raindrop dropped onto his nose and the rain started to shower. "Very well, you go with them."

I tagged along with the water-rats. "I want you three swim to the river, come to the far side of the bridge and distract the guards.

"Roger that." I acknowledged.

The three of us swam to the other side. The raindrops nullified our sounds of movement, as we got up to the bridge. The three of us tossed rocks at the two _Efrafan_ guards, before hiding.

"GO!" I shouted, cuing Hazel and Bigwig to charge at them and knocked them below the bridge, as the water took them.

"Right." Bigwig spoke.

Kehaar and Hannah came down at the bridge and gave us some information. "Hardly any guards in _Efrafa_ here." Hannah spoke.

"Yea, like they're inviting us to attack." Kehaar said.

"Let's them hard and fast." Bigwig stated.

"As long we're quick and clean." I added.

"Not yet, we'll move until the army is closer to _Efrafa_ and wait." Hazel suggested.

"Wait?! For what?" Bigwig questioned.

"For the greatest confusion." Hazel spoke.

"You mean when the lightening and the thunders strike?" I thought.

"Yes, when the storm breaks." Hazel confirmed.

We both looked up and saw a flash of lightening, as thunder rumbled. "You've got a right, nasty mind, Hazel." Bigwig spoke.

"I take it as a compliment. Not bad at all." I agreed.

"Well, I'm glad you're on our side." Bigwig said. "Move out! Keep your chatter to a dull roar."

"I must say Hazel, you'll probably be a well known General, if you were in my U.S. History books. Element of surprise." I said to him, as we began to advance.

We finally arrived at _Efrafa_. Everyone else was getting into their positions, as we watched only small hand of _Efrafa_ guards keeping watch of the warren and not a single rabbit was out. Probably most of them are asleep and have no idea that we're about to make our surprise attack. We're about to make history, as _Efrafa_ is about to fall. I'm hoping to get my hands on at least Vervain and be more grander both him and Woundwart. Everyone is finally in the position.

"Our time yet?" I asked Hazel, as I opened my blade.

"Soon..." Hazel spoke softly, as we watched the stormy sky. Suddenly, tremendous amount of flashes of lightening strikes behind the clouds, and multiple thunders shook the earth. "NOW!"

The animals started to charge their way down to the warren into battle.

"Ready mate?" Hawkbit was next to Dandelion, before they charged.

"Swift running." Hazel smiled.

"HOOORRRRRAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Every shouted, as we began our charge.

The _Efrafan_ guards outside the warren alerted everyone, right before they engaged us into combat. More of their _Owsla_ started to come out of their warren and engaged into combat. In the middle of the crossfire, there were rabbits that were held captive started to flee. Luckily, with Primrose's and Blackberry's help, they gathered most of the _Efrafan_ captive rabbits to safety. As the rest of the rabbits fought, I tried to find my through each _Efrafa_ _n_ _Owsla_ rabbit to find Vervain and Woundwart. However, more of them charged at me that I had no other means to defend myself with my blade. One of the rabbits managed to tackle me to the ground and I couldn't be able to free myself. Before I was given a final blow, Campion came in time to save my life.

"If you're looking for Woundwart, let me join you." Campion offered for my assistance.

I nodded and we continued, but before we could go anywhere, we saw the tree started to break it's roots from the moles and the water-rats. One of the few last rabbits that came out of the warren was very surprising: Moss and a doe with him.

"Moss!" Campion was surprised.

"Captain Campion, you're alive!" Moss was surprised to see and turned towards me. "Surprised to see you still walking among us."

"Where is he?" I asked him.

"It doesn't matter. All I know that he's leaving the warren." Moss answered.

"What?!" I questioned.

Before Moss could continue, two _Efrafan_ _Owsla_ rabbits interrupted us and growled for battle. Moss got in-front of us, as Campion stood beside him. I wasn't sure why now Moss is defending us. Bark came out of nowhere and attacked the two rabbits, before she continued to charge. Confused, I didn't bother to ask him at this time.

"STOP THIS WAR!" I heard someone shouting above the warren grounds. I looked to see two rabbits and one of them resembled to General Woundwart.

I hurried over to get over to climb up to the top, but lightening strikes at the top of the tree and went aflame. Moss started to pull me back.

"NO! I HAVE TO FACE WOUNDWART, VERVAIN ATTACKED TYLER!" I struggled to free myself.

"It's not safe! He's gone and you'll find Vervain again!" Moss continued to pull me back. The tree's firing branches started to break and fall down on the warren's grounds. Enraged, I never got my chance to find Woundwart and Vervain.

"It was him, I had him!" I scolded.

"Next time, son. Next time." Moss let me go.

I began to head my back towards Hazel and noticed an _Efrafan Owsla_ rabbit got in front of him. I opened my blade hurried my way to see he was going to tackle him. Instead, when I got to the rabbit, he bowed in front of Hazel and the others. Before other _Efrafan_ rabbits started to follow suite, I suppose to think they surrendered and I put my switchblade away to say the battle is over.

"It's over, we won!" Fiver exclaimed, as rest of our army cheered in celebration of "The Fall of _Efrafa_ ". The warren was tyranny, slavery and death. A hellish prison that I spend my days in, before being rescued. Despite of the gladness and some peace that the battle is over, but I still presume that Woundwart and Vervain is still in large and possibly alive.

* * *

In the next early morning, the storm cleared and the fires dispersed from the tree, leaving with smoke and ash. Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, and myself were standing at the top where the tree stood and overlooking the once was _Efrafa_.

"I can't believe Woundwart is finally gone." Fiver still couldn't believe from the previous night. "His reign of terror is over."

"I wish there be another way." Hazel wished.

"There wasn't." Bigwig shook his head calmly.

They looked at me and probably expected me to say something. "What do you think, lad?" Bigwig asked.

"I don't think's over. Not until Woundwart and Vervain are in justice. I guarantee that Vervain escaped unharmed and Woundwart is somewhere. I almost have them." I said.

"We defeated Woundwart and his army, Andrew. We won!" Hazel tried to cheer me up.

I turned towards him. "Did we?"

Hazel sighed.

"I don't think we won, until I find them and make them pay what they done." I swore.

Hazel placed his paw on my shoulder. "If we did find them, we will. But for now, they maybe gone and never heard from again."

Disappointed, I shook my head slightly, to still think that they're alive. "Let's go home." Bigwig finally spoke. The three of us started to make our journey for home. At one point, as we're a bit further away from the warren, Fiver looked back, but dismissed it as it was nothing. I suspect that Woundwart may survive somewhere in the destructed warren and for Vervain... he's probably like the rest of the missing _Efrafans_ alive, but escaped.

 _To Be Continued..._


	87. Episode 26: The Last Battle Part 3

The Last Battle Part 3

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas for this episode.

Not long after they have set off to settle the score with General Woundwort, Gilia was still sitting beside Tyler, who still hasn't moved a bit.  
She could do nothing but shed tear after tear, she was that devastated that someone could harm such a sweet and innocent little buck like Tyler.

"Oh, Tyler... please wake up. This warren is nothing without you. You and Andrew taught us so much about the human world, and you always knew how to cheer us up. This can't be over for you now. There's no way I'm letting the Black Rabbit of Inlé take you. Ever. So please, Tyler... if you can hear me... fight against it. Do it. Do it for our fellow rabbits, do it for Watership Down, do it... do it for me." Gilia begged, as she nuzzled him.

A moment has passed after Gilia said what she had to say. And just then... Tyler slowly opened his eyes, much to Gilia's sadden joy.

"Gilia?" Tyler said weakly.

She sadly smiled. "Oh, Tyler." She gave Tyler a slight nuzzle, happy to see him alive... or so she thought.

"I'm so sorry, Gilia. I betrayed all of you." Tyler apologized in a frail state.

"Betrayed?" she questioned.

"Betrayed. Woundwort knew about the secret location because of me. I told Vervain where to find it in order for him to spare me."

"You what?" she shockingly questioned.

"I'm so sorry, Gilia. I had no choice." Tyler said.

She couldn't believe that Tyler would do something like that. However, she knew that it wasn't his fault, even if he calmed it to be. "It's okay, Tyler. I understand."

"Thanks, Gilia." Tyler thanked her. Just then, Tyler could feel that he was getting weaker with every breath. "I don't think I have much longer, Gilia."

Gilia was fossilized by the fact that Tyler would actually accept fate and go with the Black Rabbit of Inlé. However, she knew, thanks to Dandelion's stories, that everyone would have to die someday, as she began to realize that he'll die. "I love you, Tyler. I meant it when we kissed during Frith's Eve."

"Listen, Gilia. You're gonna survive those dark times, you're gonna go on and you're gonna make lots of babies with some lucky gentleman, and you're gonna watch them grow. You're gonna die an old... an old lady, warm in her bed. Do you understand me?" Tyler spoke to her.

"I understand." she nodded.

"Getting run over by that cab back in New York, Gilia, was the best thing that ever happened to me... it brought me to you. And I'm thankful for that, Gilia. I'm thankful. You must do me this honor. Promise me you'll survive those dark times. That you won't give up, no matter what happens, no matter how hopeless. Promise me now, Gilia, and never let go of that promise." Tyler wanted her to promise.

"I promise." Gilia held to his paw.

"Never let go."

"I'll never let go, Tyler. I'll never let go. I promise." she promised. Tyler could only smile sadly, knowing that his girl will hold on. They both exchanged one last kiss, and then... nothing. Tyler has closed his eyes for the last time. She simply looked upon Tyler's now lifeless body, until... she started to cry.

"Goodbye, Tyler Damien. Thank you for everything." Gilia tearfully said her farewell to Tyler.

* * *

We finally arrived back to Watership Down with some former _Efrafan_ rabbits. At this time, I was starting to realize the sense that after we won the war, or so we thought or I even doubt. After we got inside the warren, everyone was settled. Hazel and myself were going to see the progress for Tyler, unexpectedly, whereas we found Gilia crying softly into Tyler's chest. Gilia ran to Hazel, where the two of them embraced.

:What's wrong, Gilia? Are you alright?" Hazel concernedly asked her daughter.

"It's Tyler, father. He suddenly stopped moving." Gilia spoke.

"What?" I questioned in shock.

"Stopped moving?" Hazel spoke to her.

" _The Black Rabbit of Inlé_. Tyler surrendered to him."

"What?" Hazel broke his hug with Gilia, hopped over to Tyler, and placed an ear to Tyler's chest. As it turned out... no heartbeat. "No. No. CLOVER! HAWKBIT!" In quick as a flash, Hazel ran out of Tyler and Clover's burrow to go find Clover and Hawkbit, his face as pale as a white feast of Frith.

I went over to Tyler's body and he was cold and pale. "I can't believe it, it's my fault. I let you down. Forgive me!"

Hawkbit and Clover followed behind Hazel, as they saw their son's lifeless body. They tried to wake him, until they felt that he's frozen.

 _Our Frith, our hearts have joined the thousand. For my friend (son spoke Hawkbit and Clover) stopped running today._ the rabbits spoke. I took out my crucifix necklace that I always have with me for a long time and prayed silent to The Lord's Prayer.

It was unbearable that we lost a fellow rabbit. We thought it was suiting to have a funeral for him that we buried him out in the fields where there were flowers blooming and clover's sprout. Before I put down a red rose that I picked from the farm, I held Tyler's Zune HD that was destroyed. I clinched in bit of rage inside of me that Vervain did was unforgivable. I set the device beside Tyler with the red rose, before we started to cover his lifeless body with soil and dirt, until he was fully covered and buried that no _elil_ could dug up and snatch him.

Later towards the evening, Hazel, Primrose and myself were outside of the warren watching the sunset.

"Poor Gilia. Ever since Tyler got attacked like that, she hardly left his side." Primrose said.

"I don't blame you or her, Primrose. If anyone's to blame, then it's Vervain." Hazel stated.

"I should have been by his side and I could have stopped Vervain." I added.

"There's nothing you could have done, brother." Hazel patted my shoulder.

"I hope I never run into him again, for I want to make him pay what he did to such an innocent little rabbit like Tyler." Primrose said.

"I hope I do... if he's alive or not, I'll make sure he's covered more scars than Tyler's than beyond belief." I vowed.

"Don't let your anger rage over you, Andrew. He may be gone forever." Hazel spoke.

I sighed and tried to let it go, but at the same time I can't forget what just happened. "Well, on the bright side... Tyler can rest in peace, knowing that we have avenged him, if Vervain is alive and we found him or he's what you said Hazel... dead."

Hazel and Primrose went back inside the warren, as I followed. Before I went back inside, I came to notice that the "makeshift flag" still stands. All I did was salute and froze for no more than three minutes, as I played the _Taps_ on my phone. After it was passed, I went back inside and called the night early.

* * *

Tyler, or rather his spirit, awaken to find himself in another realm... the spirit world. He roamed to wonder where he was until he noticed that _The Black Rabbit of Inlé_ , who Tyler remembers as the one who gave him that new life was there beside him.

 _To Be Continued..._


	88. Episode 27: A New World Prologue

A New World Prologue

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas for this episode.

"My lord..." Tyler spoke, as he bowed to _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_.

"Tyler... we meet again." he spoke.

"True and my time has come, is it?" Tyler asked.

"Your time has not yet come. The warren needs you." _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_ answered.

Tyler sulked. "I don't deserve to give another chance, I betrayed Watership Down."

"You have not..." _The Black Rabbit_ spoke. "You have done many heroic deeds once you were a human and you continued to show your heart, bravery, and kindness. One of the deeds was saving dogs from the pound, a kitten at the very top of a 'human' tower, and of course saving a doe from a snare."

More heroic deeds were continued to be listed by _The Black Rabbit_ , as Tyler began to remember his latest deeds: battling a weasel to defend Fiver and Andrew, rescuing Bark from being in a cage, as well battling with a fox while defending Buttercup's warren.

"Yeah... you're right." Tyler started to remember. "I have done enough for the warren and for the animals I cared for. There should be no point of giving up on them."

 _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_ nodded his head lightly. "Now it's time for you to return to Watership Down. Remember, your time has not yet come... you'll know when it's time of course."

Tyler nodded his head with a bow. "Yes my lord."

And so, _The Black Rabbit of Inlé_ bid him farewell for now, as he started to disappear in black, thick smoke that Tyler felt dizzy that he passed out as he couldn't breath. Tyler opened his eyes and woke up to find himself buried to the ground.

"What on Earth am I doing underground?" Tyler questioned himself, until he remembered that he met with once again with _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_.

He than started to dig himself up to reach for the surface. After few short minutes of digging, he finally arises from the ground with him covering in dirt. "Now I have to get back to the warren."

He looked over to see the tree still standing tall at the down. He began to make his short journey back to the warren, until he saw Andrew outside, probably trying to get his mind off things.

"Andrew..."

He turned around and stopped talking to see Tyler. "It's good to see you again, my old friend."

"You stay right there!" he halted, as he began to make his approached and tapped Tyler on the chest. "It is you..."

The two gave each other a hug from this heartwarming reunion. "I can't believe it! You died! Everyone needs to know you're alive!"

Tyler looked down a bit.

"Tyler, what's wrong?"

"After I died, I was touched by _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_." Tyler answered.

Shocking Andrew to the core, as if he was touched by _The Black Rabbit_ also.

"Besides, I prefer to be away from the warren again. I done too many mistakes this time." Tyler tearfully pointed out.

"You know something Tyler. It's never too late to redeem yourself. Everyone has a chance to redeem themselves, including myself." Andrew stated, as he reached his hand out for Tyler's paw.

Tyler cleaned himself up from the tears and boldly shook his head, before shaking Andrew's hand with his own paw.

 _To Be Continued..._


	89. Episode 27: A New World Part 1

A New World Part 1

It was a miracle to see Tyler's face once again! After our chat, I thought it was suiting too have everyone know that he's alive. We decided to enter the warren and give them wonderful news. As soon we got in, everyone in the warren were going about helping former _Efrafan_ bucks and does to have new burrows for them. At first we tried to get their attention, but they were busy. Tyler and I huddled together and made a plan to get their attention. I cued the music on my phone.

 _(Tyler's Part)_

 _Old friends_  
 _Old friends_  
 _Sat on their park bench like bookends_  
 _A newspaper blowin' through the grass_  
 _Falls on the round toes_  
 _Of the high shoes_  
 _Of the old friends_

Everyone stopped digging and turned towards our dearly departed old friend singing once again.

( _Tyler's Part)_

 _Old friends_  
 _Winter companions, the old men_  
 _Lost in their overcoats, waiting for the sunset_  
 _The sounds of the city sifting through trees_  
 _Settle like dust_  
 _On the shoulders of the old friends_

 _(Andrew's Part)_

 _Can you imagine us years from today_  
 _Sharing a park bench quietly?_  
 _How terribly strange to be seventy_

 _(Together)_

 _Old friends_  
 _Memory brushes the same years_  
 _Silently sharing the same fear_

The rabbits of Watership Down praised of his resurrection and wondered how he returned back to life, even Clover and Hawkbit couldn't stop hugging and nuzzling her adopted son. Tyler told them that he was met with _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_ and he later woke up underground. After he shared his story, he wondered why there were so many rabbits from _Efrafa_. Bigwig told him that we defeated _Efrafa_ , but we still have no indication the whereabouts of Woundwart and/or Vervain. He slightly shivered from hearing Vervain's name, but he remain calm. At the same time, he thought to himself if Woundwart survived at least, because the two were great emissaries despite of the differences that Woundwart wanted war and Tyler wanted peace like the rest of the Watership Down rabbits. However, at the same time, he still felt the betrayal that no harm was coming towards him.

He decided to erase the mind of thinking about Woundwart and Vervain, to think about the one kitten he's in love with was Gilia. Hazel, Primrose, and I escorted him to Hazel's and Primrose's burrow, where Gilia was still coping over Tyler's lost. Tyler slowly entered the burrow and silently embraced her in his arms. She turned to see who was hugging her to find out it was her true love.

"TYLER!" she started to tear in joy. Tyler shed a tear to see someone he fell in love.

 _A time it was, and what a time it was, it was_  
 _A time of innocence_  
 _A time of confidences_

 _Long ago it must be_  
 _I have a photograph_  
 _Preserve your memories_  
 _They're all that's left you_

The three of us decided to leave Tyler and Gilia alone, as the two are about to make up for the lost times, as we resumed to build more burrows for the former _Efrafan_ rabbits.

* * *

In the next morning, I woke up in burrow from a long day's work, as well joy from Tyler's return. I passed through Tyler's burrow to see Gilia and Tyler both sleeping together with smiles on their faces. At the same time, we both kind of have the same connection since we both been touched by _The Black Rabbit_. As I continued to walk down through the tunnels, I saw Blackberry was up since the crack of dawn continuing to build more burrows, but at least she's not alone and Campion is helping her side by side.

"I see you two been inseparable now a days." I greeted.

"'More the merrier'. Just like you said." Blackberry smiled, as she continues to dig.

"You had a good sleep?" Campion asked me.

"I did, did the both you?" I answered, before I asked.

"We did."

I nodded. "It was like you guys were up earlier before everyone else."

Blackberry chuckled. "We were up just a few minutes time. We had enough sleep."

"Alright, just don't break your own backs though from working too hard." I warned.

"We won't and thank you." they smiled and thanked, before I headed my way.

I noticed there were more rabbits at The Honeycomb, as the _Efrafan_ rabbits were still asleep. I felt a tap on my back that I jumped without making a scream to see a weary, light tan rabbit made a bow.

"Oh... it's you." I relieved. "Is something wrong?"

He than whispered to my ear before he went back to his bowing submission state. "You don't need to ask, if you needed to go _silflay_. If you wanted to go, feel free to do it. Just be careful that's all."

He bowed again, before he left his way. The same rabbit continuously kept doing the same bowing and asking permission. Perhaps the rabbit was been through the hardships the most out of any other _Efrafan_ rabbits that lived. Nowadays since they're freed, they continually nervously look around to suspect that Woundwart and Vervain could be at any corner. Some like the rabbit I was been asked to go out _silflay_ , ask permission and/or bow to their superiority which is unnecessary and no need because we treated the rabbits, as if they're just plain free rabbits other than slaves.

I finally managed to get outside to see some rabbits _silflaying_. As I continued to walk down the hill, I saw Bigwig with Pipkin, as he was eating a carrot that Bigwig got from the farm.

"Morning you two." I greeted.

"Good morning young chap." Bigwig greeted, before they looked at three _Efrafan_ rabbits _silflaying_.

"You guys watching their move." I sat down on the grass to see the three rabbits looking their surroundings.

"These _Efrafans_ act like they still expect Woundwart to drop on them any minute." Bigwig said.

"It's Post-Traumatic Stress. They're probably trying to forget about Woundwart at the same time adapting themselves in the real world." I said.

"That same rabbit came to you, did he?" Bigwig asked.

"He did." I sighed. "Still it's best to be patient at the same time remand them that they're free." I answered. "Anybody could go through those hard times and try to live on after the experiences."

"Are you going to go through the same, when you return to the human world?" Pipkin stopped eating and asked.

"I don't know... anything could happen." I answered.

Group of shadows covered us, as we turned to see three _Efrafan_ rabbits that appeared to be strong that they were from the _Efrafan Owsla_. "Hey... we'll have that carrot." the brown, droopy ears, rabbit demanded for the carrot that Pipkin is eating.

"Nuthanger Farms is down that way, go get your own." Bigwig told them, as Pipkin hid behind Bigwig out of fear.

"I said we'll have that one!" the rabbit demanded once again.

"First of all we're not slaves and secondly, we're not going to tolerate your bullying tactics to have someone give up a carrot through intimidation." I stood up for Bigwig and Pipkin.

The three strong rabbits turned towards me. "I wasn't even speaking to you, you deplorable human."

Deplorable... the word that struck me to the core that I refuse to say anything, as I didn't run off. "You're nothing, but a 'basket of deplorable humans' that you killed our people for nothing, but for your own gains." the rabbit continued.

Bigwig hopped in front of me. "I'll deal with this."

The droopy rabbit began to growl, like a bully getting ready to fight.

"It's just a carrot. It's not a big deal." Pipkin insisted.

"Just... just take your carrot Pipkin..." I stuttered without letting a tear fall out. "Just take your carrot and we'll handle this."

Pipkin went off about, as Bigwig and the rabbit were about to have it with each other. "Why don't you ugly, lumps try to take the carrot!"

The other two started to encircle us, until they charged towards Bigwig. Smart as ever, Bigwig jumped above them, as the two collided with each other, as the droopy rabbit started to fight Bigwig, as the _Efrafan_ rabbits started to get their attention, like a school fight on a playground or outside of the school gates.

"Stop it!" I shouted at them, until I was restrained by the two rabbits.

"Perhaps this 'deplorable' human would mind to watch his fellow rabbit fight to the death." one of them spoke.

I struggle to free myself, but I could only do is watch Bigwig and the other rabbit fight. As Bigwig was overpowered by the droopy rabbit, the second rabbit tackled Bigwig down, as the third continued to restrain me. Before a final strike was about to blow, Moss intervened. Bigwig thought it was his chance to strike back, but luckily Hazel stepped in front of him in time, before he could tore the rabbits into shreds.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Hazel shouted.

"The next nitwit picking a fight will be a very sorry rabbit!" Moss told the three rabbits. "Now hop it." The third rabbit released me and I began to dust myself off.

Bigwig was breathing heavily from the fight. "I've had them in another minute!"

"No more fighting!" Hazel told Bigwig. "And I mean it!"

Pipkin came back and Tyler, was with Gilia, as they were told about the confrontation.

"Tell them that! I've had it up to my ears with them _Efrafans_! A bunch of lazy, waste of space they're!" Bigwig cursed.

"Bigwig." I found it insulting, because Moss was present.

"No offense." Bigwig sighed.

Moss got in front of Bigwig, as another fight might happen. "Offense taken." The two began to growl that I had to break them apart.

"ENOUGH, you two! This isn't a Trump and Clinton election!" I stopped them, with Hazel by my side.

"Bigwig, take a patrol or something." Hazel told Bigwig.

Bigwig than hopped away. "Sorry Hazel and Andrew, Woundwart's rule is like a shadow on us." Moss apologized.

"I know, but it's up to you to lead the way Moss." Hazel placed his paw on Moss's shoulder.

"I don't want to be a leader!" Moss rejects.

"Neither did I, but you don't always have a choice." Hazel added, before he pulled me to the side, with Pipkin, as Tyler and Gilia listened. "So what happened?"

"We're just _silflaying_ , before the three strong _Efrafan_ rabbits demanded to have us turn over the carrot. Bigwig and Andrew defended me, before the fight." Pipkin explained.

"I even heard what that rabbit cursed at Andrew." Tyler added.

"Well besides over a carrot, Bigwig also wanted to fight those bucks because one of them called Andrew..." Pipkin was trying to figure out what the rabbit said. "I heard what he said, but I don't know what it means."

"It's alright, Pipkin." I assured Pipkin. "He called me a 'basket of deplorables'."

"He did not!" Tyler was shocked to hear it, as if it wasn't true.

"What's a 'basket of deplorables'?" Pipkin asked.

"It means a group of individuals, whom don't deserve to be redeemed and or given full condemnation equally worst to be called 'retard' or any other foul names such as 'weird' or 'wacko'. It could be used to define a group of individuals because of their personality or status of someone sides on politics or based on who they're. Someone like me. Normally you don't hear it, because it's from the human world." I answered.

"You see Pipkin... there some humans think no one is deserving a chance of redeeming or needed to be forgiven, because someone could think someone is different from everyone else or not part of the norm." Tyler said to Pipkin.

"That's unfair! I heard of worst things a rabbit calls another rabbit, but not like this." Pipkin stated in outrage.

"Yeah, even on someone thinks they're dominate than everybody else or think that person doesn't deserve to be forgiven or they're a disgrace." Tyler added.

"Come here Andrew." Hazel warmly called for me, before giving me advice. "Don't you ever think of something because someone called you a name. Don't you ever think of it any minute. Be true to yourself, as you always have."

After wiping some of the tears from my face, I accepted his advice and gave him a warm hug, as he returned the warm hug back, as Hobbes from a Calvin and Hobbes comic strip says, after Calvin stated the world could be mean: "That's why animals are so soft and huggy.".

"Hazel-rah, with your permission it'll be best to help him get his mind off it, I could take him out for patrol?" Tyler suggested with a salute.

Hazel nodded. "Permission granted. Just be careful you two, especially you Tyler."

"We'll Hazel-rah, sir." Tyler acknowledges. Before we headed for our way, Hazel called me.

"Remember what I said." Hazel smiled.

I smiled back with a nod, as Tyler and I headed to woods, as it may help me forget about what happened from moments ago.

* * *

When we arrived at the woods, it was just the two of us going about to inspect the woods.

"Perhaps we could see if any lost _Efrafan_ rabbits could be found." Tyler smiled.

"How did you know that?" I asked.

"Dad told me about it, as Hazel told the _Owsla_ to search for any remaining _Efrafan_ rabbits that escaped from _Efrafa_ , during the battle." Tyler answered.

"Alright." I agreed. So far we haven't had any luck of finding any rabbits, because the woods is mostly roamed by _elil_. We than heard Kehaar flying above us, as Hannah is on his back. "Well I guess we may get some extra help after all."

"Kehaar! Hannah! Down here!" Tyler called.

Kehaar flew down in flash that pounced on me and Tyler, as Hannah safely landed on the ground. "It happens to us every time." I joked.

"Kehaar sorry." he apologized.

"It's alright Kehaar, any sight of them?" Tyler asked.

"Not a single one yet, even _Efrafa_ looks deserted now." Hannah answered.

"Perhaps the four of us could be able to make a good team of finding any one of them." I suggested.

"Yeah, a team! We fly and you hoppty hop." Kehaar agreed.

Tyler chuckled. "Kehaar, Andrew walks."

"It's alright, perhaps I could go through a hop perhaps." I assured and I started to make a good rabbity hop that lightened me up, as the others laugh from the joke.

"That's better, all we need is a good laugh from you Andrew." Tyler cheered, as it was a way to clear my mind. "Alright, we'll follow you guys and tell us, if you spot anything."

"We'll let you know, Tyler. And it's wonderful to have you back." Hannah gave Tyler a big hug from a small mouse with a big heart, before getting onto Kehaar's back and they took off.

"Ready to find them?" Tyler asked me.

I nodded my head in reply. "Let's hope we get whoever we can, before they disappeared for ever."

We started to follow Kehaar and Hannah, as we're sparking our mission to find any lost rabbit from _Efrafa_ many as possible. However, it may be a glamour of hope that at least we found a pair or duo if possible.

 _To Be Continued..._


	90. Episode 27: A New World Part 2

A New World Part 2

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 and randomkungfupandafan for their ideas for this episode. I apologize for the hold up, as I work, had worked on two other stories as well.

It's been over two hours and we haven't found any luck on finding any missing _Efrafan_ rabbits. Tyler and I were scouting around the woods, until we reached towards a swampy stream. Kehaar and Hannah were still above us, as they continued to be our over-watch and scouting for more rabbits as well. Eventually, they landed as Kehaar sounded out.

 _More rabbits!_ We heard him.

"He must of found some rabbits, let's go!" I exclaimed.

"Watch your step!" Tyler shouted.

I stopped in time, as I looked back towards him. "What is it?"

"We may encounter some quicksands here." Tyler warned me.

I picked up a stick and tossed it in front of me. The stick landed straight pointing up, before it slowly sank. "I guess testing the water is never a bad idea."

"Let's be careful where we're going or we could ended up like that stick." he advised me.

"Alright, we might as well remain on land, as we continue our search." I said.

We followed where Kehaar last landed, but than he was already in the air and told us that two rabbits were following him. The both of us decided to follow up with the two rabbits to make sure they're safe, as they try to find their way to our warren. We than heard screams that wasn't far.

"What was that?" I asked.

"It must be the two rabbits, they're in trouble." Tyler figured.

We started to pick up our pace, as we followed the stream, as we concealed through the bushes and cattails. Finally, we spotted the two rabbits, presuming to be from _Efrafa_ and not _Owsla_ rabbits. They appeared to be struggle to keep themselves afloat.

"They must have fallen into a quicksand." I said.

We than saw a strong rabbit that still has one eye red and the other white, with torn ears... it's Woundwart.

"He survived?!" I was shocked to see him.

"Woundwart?" Tyler peeked through to see him. "I thought you guys said, he was gone."

"I thought that too." I said, before I opened my blade.

"Renew your allegiance to me and I'll help you out of here." Woundwart made an ultimatum for the two rabbits, as they're sinking.

"Never! Never!" one of them spoke out and refused.

"Then _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_ could have you." Woundwart left them to die, as he leaves.

"Just like Lush." I recalled about saving Lush from being abandoned by Vervain and his _Owsla_ rabbits.

"Come on!" Tyler hurried over to them that I had to join him, as I closed my blade. Tyler advised to them to keep their heads' back so they could keep them afloat and not to struggle. They managed to follow Tyler's instructions. The both of us found a long stick that they could grab hold and we started to pull them one at a time, until they managed to be back on land.

"Oh, thank _Frith_!" one of them spoke.

"We thought _The Black Rabbit_ would take us for sure. We must thank you for saving us." the second spoke, as they bowed to us.

"Your welcome and no need to bow to us." Tyler said gracefully.

"We just help out when someone is need. Why don't you two follow us back home, so you both won't get lost." I added.

* * *

The two rabbits smiled and nodded with agreement. As we started to head for journey home, I couldn't help to noticed Tyler seemed to be down from seeing Woundwart alive and also seeing what he did.

"It hurts to see the truth side to him." I said to him.

"Yes and also to see him alive, after I went through." Tyler said.

"I'm sorry you had to see that." I apologized.

"Don't apologize to me. You didn't do anything, I felt more abandoned because he went back on his word that no harm would come to me." Tyler felt shaken up, as he remembered about his encounter with Vervain.

"Ever since you were unconscious, I vowed for revenge and I still do to this day. I knew you wouldn't be able to do it, because you seemed more full on heart than I am. However, you may have another side to you that I don't know." I went on.

"You may never know." Tyler spoke. "But whatever you do, please don't harm Woundwart."

"What? Why? After he what he did?" I questioned him.

"He's well opponent that he shouldn't have to die." Tyler spoke firmly.

I sighed. "Perhaps, but it's differently how you and I contrast. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I understand you are angry because what they did." Tyler understood.

"However, it doesn't mean they get away from it though." I added, before he nodded his head.

After our conversation, we finally arrived back to Watership Down with two new rabbits on down, we spotted Hawkbit and Dandelion are arguing with each other probably over some delicious clover one of them found.

"Are we at the right warren?" I questioned Tyler over the ears in whisper.

He chuckled. "I believe so." We got back to see Heather was watching them the whole time.

"Hi Heather, do you know why they're going off their ears this time?" I asked them.

"They're battling over me." she answered.

"WHAT?!" Tyler and I exclaimed.

"Hello Tyler." Clover came by and nuzzled her son.

"Hi Mom." he said, before looking back at his father and uncle battling over doe, like two men probably one of them single and another married fight over to get a blonde looking woman.

"Still battling it out for your attention I see?" Clover asked Heather, as she nodded "yes" as an answer.

"You knew about this?" I asked.

"Yes, Hawkbit would turn away from and decided to turn towards Heather."

"From drinking slurpees to buying new cars." I said, as I shook my head down at Hawkbit and Dandelion.

Tyler became so annoyed that he decided to take some action. He went down and separated them from the fight. They were surprised to see Tyler tapping his foot to the grass with his arms across.

"Uhh... I can explain." Hawkbit stuttered.

"Really? Then try explain to me why you dumped Mom for someone else. Seriously, Dad, it makes me wonder why Mom hasn't beaten the dickens out of you for that yet." Tyler sparked.

As the two argued, Dandelion thought it was a perfect opportunity to get Heather. He came up and try to sweet talk her.

"Say Heather, how about we could find some sweet sprouts of Clover downhill?" Dandelion offered.

"You could sweet talk her down, but you can't touch." I spoke, before Heather could say an answer.

"But, but-" Dandelion stuttered.

"Besides, someone else already called dibs on her, go find your own girl." I continued. Dandelion blew raspberries that I thought it was about to be on, but he than walked off back to the warren.

I sighed. "Finally."

"Do you have a preference?" Clover asked Heather.

"Whichever is stronger." Heather answered.

"Love doesn't enter it than?" she asked once more.

"There was no room for love in _Efrafa_." Heather added.

"You may have one now." I said.

"Andrew, you have Sandy!" Clover exclaimed.

"No, not me!" I assured her, before I pointed towards Moss, as he's probably standing guard. "I think he does have some thoughts of you though."

"How could you know for sure?" Heather asked.

"I saw you two during the battle and later on, you two look like you both are a match." I answered.

"He never spoken much of me after the battle." Heather added.

"Probably he's afraid to speak up, maybe you could try to draw him in. Patiently, not rushing though." I advised to her.

And so, she went off and started to have a chat with each other. They both finally smiled at each other, as they progress while having a conversation, before they wandered off together.

"Looks like they may be together after all." I said, as Clover and I watched them, before turning back towards Hawkbit and Tyler continued on.

Clover chuckled. "Those two. Does your mother and father were like that, comparing to Hawkbit and I?"

"No Clover, they were even like that, until they decided to leave each other." I answered.

"Oh, I'm terrible sorry." she apologized.

I shook my head. "I still think about it to this day. However, in the end, it's not really to single out one over the other and also knowing about it in full."

"Well I must break up those two over there, before those two would battle each other over me." Clover smiled and went over to break up the fight, between Father and Son.

Luckily, after the fight broke up Gilia came out and came towards Tyler. She briefly asked him what was happening, until Tyler kept it short that he and his father were just going at each other like father and son. She chuckled and nuzzled him, as the two _silflay_ together. Hazel and Bigwig came out and inspect the outside of the warren, as well the behavior of former _Efrafan_ rabbits. It seemed to be that Bigwig got into a scratch by one of them or _elil_ , however it seemed healed from Blackberry's help.

"I don't know if those _Efrafans_ will ever fit in Hazel." Bigwig said.

"I'm sure they're in need of guidance." I went over and joined.

"How's that than?" Bigwig questioned.

"Someone has to step up and lead them. Someone that they know, rely, and/or trust." I answered.

As we continued, Moss and Heather came back from their walk and he seemed to be determined. "Hazel."

"What is it Moss?" Hazel asked.

"I've been thinking the same thing." Moss answered. "I need to talk to everyone."

Bigwig and I were surprised, as I told him about someone stepping up.

"I'll arrange it." Hazel spoke and instructed Bigwig and I to gather everyone back to The Honeycomb for an announcement.

* * *

We managed to get all former _Efrafans_ and those living in Watership Down to here an announcement from Moss. Everyone was chattering about why everyone was here. Moss stood tall and got everyone's attention, mainly _Efrafan_ rabbits.

"We of _Efrafa_ and you of Watership Down survived the tragedy of war. The trail ahead is free and open. Hazel freed us and gave us sanctuary. Now it's time we made our own future in a new warren!" Moss announced.

The former _Efrafan_ rabbits gasped, as they're surprised. Who'll lead them.

"In a new world." Moss continued. "No one will ever rule us again. We are all equal, from now on we'll decide together."

The rabbits chattered with each other, as for everyone else that lived in Watership Down watched and listened. Heather stepped forward and became the first to speak out for Moss's support.

"I want a new life! Far away from memories of Woundwart and war. I say we go, whose with me?" Heather spoke.

Every former _Efrafan_ rabbit started to chant for Moss. He gasped, as he was called out for his ideas that the _Efrafan_ rabbits chanted for his support.

"Wait, I'm not your chief!" Moss tried to stop.

"You just said we decide together, Moss. We've decided." Heather said to him, as they continued to praise him for support and considered him as their chief.

"Thank you, if you want me than I accept." Moss decided let go his fears and decided to become their new leader.

Later in the evening, all the surviving rabbits of _Efrafa_ started to head out and began their new journey to find a new warren. Apparently, one of the former _Efrafan_ _Owsla_ rabbit briefly apologized to me on how he spoke down to me. I couldn't be able to say anything else, but accepted his apology and wished him the best of luck in his journey.

"Well Fiver, you're the one with the far-sight, what do you see in our future?" Moss asked Fiver.

"Sorry Moss, my visions doesn't work like that." Fiver apologized.

"Then I'll tell you what I see than: joy and sadness, love and loss, despair and hope. Life, Moss. Live as it comes." Hazel spoke.

"Just 'seize the moments' as they come." I stated.

"Can't ask more than that." Moss said. "Run well and safely, all of you."

Moss and Heather started their journey down the hill, until he stopped for a moment. "And Andrew..."

"Yes Moss?" I got his attention.

He smiled. "Stay safe and get home." he stated, before he joined with Heather and the others. In the middle of this, we saw Hawkbit and Dandelion coming back from an unknown trip.

"What's going on?" Dandelion asked. "Where are they going?"

"Off to find a new home." Primrose answered.

"And what about Heather?" Hawkbit asked.

"Dad..." Tyler smirked.

"What?" Hawkbit questioned his son.

"Don't even start, you got Mom... I think you two are already a great match, since you guys adopted me. Moss and Heather are together." Tyler said.

"Yes, and I'm sure Moss and Heather will be happy together." Clover got to Hawkbit and smiled.

"New tomorrow's for them and peace with us." Blackberry stated, as she stood next to her mate Campion.

"We'll be able to maintain our peace, as long Woundwart is no where-"

"Please Campion." Blackberry stopped him. "I don't want to even think about him one bit."

"You won't have to worry about it." Campion nuzzled her for her comfort.

Everyone got back inside the warren and decided to call it the day, as it was a successful transition of taking care of former _Efrafan_ rabbits, as we gave them shelter instead what normally where I come from that they fed for themselves, dictate their choices, or aid them as they make their own transitions in leadership or governance. It may be hope of Moss and his band of rabbits, a new warren and government of his people to be free.

 _To Be Continued_...


	91. Episode 27: A New World Part 3

A New World Part 3

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 and randomkungfupandafan for their ideas for this episode.

The night came and almost everyone was back inside the warren winding down the evening. As I was heading my way back to my burrow, I stopped by at Tyler's to see he's fiddling around with something.

"Tyler?"

"Oh, hey, Andrew." he friendly greeted.

I then noticed what looked like... "Your Zune!"

He nods solemnly. "It's a good thing Vervain didn't wreck it completely. As it turns out, he only destroyed the screen, along with tearing some of the cables from it sockets. I will have to melt them back into place. Do you have a lighter on you?"

"Yeah... however, I suggest we better do this outside. Doing it in here can be a fire hazard." I said.

"Fair enough. Let's go." Tyler grabbed his Zune.

Before, we went outside, I luckily found a lighter that was from the firecrackers. As soon I rejoined with Tyler, Gilia stumbled upon us and said she couldn't sleep. He invited her to spend a little time outside, as he's going to repair his Zune. When we got outside, the night was clear and not a single living thing was at sight, except some crickets chirping further down the hill from our warren. I handed Tyler the lighter and he continued to do his repairing work on his Zune. I sat down and watched the night sky, as the moon was half full. Gilia sat next to Tyler and watching him repair his music player.

"Almost... got it!" Tyler exclaimed and next thing we know, his Zune's was on full blast that hurt our ears.

"Turn it down just a notch." I told him.

He turned the music down, as it was right. Tyler and Gilia listened to the music and fell in with the rhythm to a song called _20th Century Boy_ by T-Rex.

"That was some interesting music, Tyler?" Gilia spoke.

"Ah, yes. My Purge Playlist." Tyler said.

"Purge Playlist?" she was puzzled.

"A little something where I come from."

"Hold on. You know the Purge?" I asked him.

"Yes, how do you know?" he asked me.

"I remember seeing the first three of the movies. I liked the first one especially." I recalled.

"As do I. I really loved that movie." Tyler said.

In the middle of our conversation, Bigwig came out of no where and spotted. "What's he going on about, Andrew?"

"Oh hey, Bigwig." I greeted him. "Of course, you would not know."

"Know what?" he asked.

"You see, guys, the Purge is a movie about a horrific holiday where you can to pull off whatever you want. Basically, those guys called the New Founding Fathers of America, or NFFA for short, pieced together a night where all crime is completely legal for 12 entire hours once a year. I even found a special video that mentions it."

I pulled out my phone and pulled up YouTube to find a video of The Purge announcement. It first started off with emergency broadcast sirens, as it would go off on TVs and radios.

 _This is not a test. This is your emergency broadcast system announcing the commencement of the Annual Purge sanctioned by the U.S. Government. Weapons of class 4 and lower have been authorized for use during the Purge. All other weapons are restricted. Government officials of ranking 10 have been granted immunity from the Purge and shall not be harmed. Commencing at the siren, any and all crime, including murder, will be legal for 12 continuous hours. Police, fire, and emergency medical services will be unavailable until tomorrow morning until 7 a.m., when The Purge concludes. Blessed be our New Founding Fathers and America, a nation reborn. May God be with you all._

"Is it really true?" Bigwig became slightly startled.

"No, it's only from the movie. Not a single chance that would happen." I answered.

"Oh, for a moment there." Gilia took a deep breath of relief. "It would have been frightening, if it was true."

"It will never happen." Tyler nuzzled with a kiss.

"Alright, you lot, we need to get back inside, _elil_ or even Woundwart could return his way here." Bigwig told us.

"Yes, Uncle Bigwig." Tyler and Gilia acknowledged.

I yawned. "Alrighty."

* * *

We all went back inside the warren. I stopped to notice that Tyler gave Gilia a long, embracing nuzzle, kiss, and hug, before she headed to her burrow where her siblings are asleep. Before I even know it, Tyler pulled me to the side, as we arrived at The Honeycomb. "Andrew, I need to tell you something."

"Sure, anything." I said.

He sighed. "I need to leave the warren again."

"What?! Why?"

"It's not what it seems. Since Vervain gave me a thrashing that I hadn't have enough time to defend myself, I need to toughen myself." Tyler answered.

"You already are, you knew all a bunch of martial arts moves and vocal when we go to our meetings and during _Owsla_ patrol." I told him.

"I know, but ever since I woke up, I felt weaker that I couldn't defend myself. Also, I wouldn't be alone, Campion would be training me."

"Campion?" I questioned him.

"Yes, he told me since we met at _Efrafa_ , he wanted to train me one day from what he learned in _Efrafa_." Tyler continued. "I feel that the training could be beneficial, especially from an _Owsla_ captain."

From the first time he left, he felt betrayed as Hawkbit talked behind his son's back. The only encounter he came across with me was at the market, when I ran off. However, in my conscious is telling me that this time, Tyler is truthfully explaining why he's leaving for the second time.

"Does your parents know?" I asked him.

"They know about it, even Campion talked to them as well with me. They're too worried, I'm sure they'll be willing to understand, by the time I leave." Tyler answered. "I'll be leaving tonight."

I nodded. "If I don't see you, I wish you the best of luck." We gave each other a hug and wished each other the best of luck.

"Goodnight." I said.

"Goodnight." Tyler respond back.

I headed my way, as Hawkbit and Clover hurried their way to with Tyler to say their goodbyes. Campion exited from their burrow and knew that I was slightly a bit worried that they're leaving.

"Don't worry, lad. I'll make sure he stays safe." Campion smiled.

"Will Blackberry be alright?" I asked him.

"She'll be alright, we talked about it and she understood, for Tyler's sake." he answered.

I reached out my hand, before he reached his paw towards mine. We shook on it, until I felt a blur moment of his and Tyler's voices, but they're disoriented that I don't know what will happen, except helping Tyler train.

"You alright?" he asked me.

"Yeah, yeah... I'm alright." I answered.

"Best of _El-ahrairah_ to you." Campion said his farewell.

"Best of luck to you." I said, as he hopped towards Tyler and his parents. I watched to see them saying their farewells.

"Mom, Dad, please. I know you're happy that I'm back, but I have to do this. I'm leaving the Down alongside Campion tonight. We're gonna train together, whereas he will help me get strong enough to get revenge on Captain Vervain." Tyler reasoned with his parents.

"Have you lost your mind. First you come back from the dead, and now you're leaving us again. Don't you remember what happened last time you left the Down?" Hawkbit questioned his son.

"Your father's right, Tyler. We can't let you leave the Down again. You're just a kitten." Clover agreed.

"I understand you're worried, but if I need to be strong, being trained by Campion could be the way. So I won't have to repeat the same event that happened, please believe me." Tyler pleaded.

Hawkbit and Clover looked at each other with worried faces, before looking back at their son.

"He'll be in good paws with me." Campion spoke. "We'll be around the woods, but at a slight distance."

Clover hugged her son for dear life, as if it was a final goodbye, despite of it temporary. Tyler did the same, before Hawkbit fulled suite, as mother and father cried.

"I'll return, when I'm ready. I'll be home before you know it." Tyler spoke.

Campion led the way, before Tyler followed. I watched Hawkbit and Clover nuzzled each other in despair that they're son left the warren again. A tear fell in my eye, as if a young eighteen year old was leaving home to explore a new world, beyond his/her parents' home.

"Excuse me." I heard a voice and turned over to see two rabbits that were from the swampy stream.

"Oh, hello. Are you two the ones that Tyler and I rescued?" I asked.

"Yes, this is my brother Zen and I'm River." the rabbit spoke.

"Nice to meet you both, didn't you wanted to join with Moss and the others?" I asked.

"We prefer to be away from any _Efrafan_ rabbit as possible." Zen said, as he was little nervous.

"After the final battle, it was just the both of us and we try to find a new home, but keep getting attracted to _elil_." River spoke.

I understood that Zen tried his best to find a new home, however they seem to liking it here so much, since they got here that they forgot all about _Efrafa_. "Well, I don't see why not. You two are welcome."

"Thank you and to your friend for rescuing us once more." Zen bowed.

"Your welcome and you don't have to do that." I said.

"Do what?" he asked.

"Bowing, being thanked is good enough. Save for your prayers." I answered.

"Prayers?" Zen questioned.

"We don't know who to pray to." River said.

"I'm sure you could ask every rabbit, although I could assure you that they pray to _Frith_ , as well at certain occasions or holidays they tell stories about _El-ahrairah_." I said.

"Well... I guess we'll learn more about it, eventually." River said.

"You'll I'm sure. Hope you two have a good rest and perhaps see you in the morning." I said, before I started to make my way to my burrow. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight and thank you." the brothers said, before they headed off, probably to bed as well in another burrow. I arrived at my burrow and just a small prayer to God to keep watch on Tyler and Campion for safe travels and for Tyler's training. I than got into bed and fell fast asleep.

 _To Be Continued..._


	92. Episode 28: The Wanderer Prologue

The Wanderer Prologue

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas for this episodes.

It's been a while since Tyler left the Down, but to think that he left it with a purpose this time. It was good to know that Campion went with him to make sure nothing bad happens to him. Many of us are still upset about Tyler leaving again, though some of us knew that he will come back for sure, especially Clover, knowing her son is safe with Campion. Ever since _Efrafa_ 's defeat, like I said before, everything was back to normal. Well, for Bigwig, he continued on with his _Owsla_ with constant training and patrols. Now a days since you know what happened, Hawkbit, Dandelion, even Strawberry teamed up to make a nuisance and a joke of themselves by responding fewer commands from Bigwig and/or pretended to follow instructions, until they reveal their joke. It was like being back in high school as most teenagers don't pay attention in class, except goof off or side conversations, as the our teachers try to teach us.

I started to receive some one on one time training from Bigwig, as it seems that there wasn't much to learn, if the three teen acted rabbits are being distracting, even for me. Since I've been around with them nearly two years, he complimented me that I learned much, as I told him that I learned from him and Tyler about combat from observing. In the following early morning, I was excused from _Owsla_ training exercises for today, as Bigwig continued to handle the three rabbits in his _Owsla_.

I decided to sit down watch the sun rise for a new day. I started to think about Tyler again since I got back from Owsla Training, when suddenly, I heard what sounded like an angel singing... in Japanese. I looked around and spotted Gilia, standing there on her own, singing a capella. As I listened closely, I could make out the lyrics. It was... _Chase You Up, Patranger_.

 _Flash~ mabushii RAITO de_

 _Search~ Sagashidashite-ageru_

 _Jitaba tashitemo teokure_

 _FEIKU no seigi wo kazashite ubau no_

 _Tsumi no man'naka wo uchinuku_

 _Hold up, Lupin! Run if you can!_

 _Gonna chase you up anywhere you are!_

 _Kono sekai chitsujo mamoru tame_

 _Hold up, Lupin! Run if you can!_

 _Sayonara wa iwanai_

 _Nigasanai wa Patranger_

 _It's showdown!_

I walked back up the hill and stopped by to see her. "That music."

"Oh, sorry Andrew. I didn't mean to disturb, if I did." Gilia apologized.

"Not at all, I liked the way you sang." I complimented her, before she sighed. "You miss him don't you?"

"Sadly I do. We used to sing each other asleep. Even the song I sang, he taught me." Gilia recalled about her nights with Tyler.

"I know you both will enjoy it again, when he returns." I said. "Just have hope. That's the last thing everyone needs now a days."

Gilia nodded, as we continued to watch the sun rise for a new day.


	93. Episode 28: The Wanderer Part 1

The Wanderer Part 1

Author's Note: Sorry for falling behind on the series lately, been working on _Animator History_ , check it out and read through it you got the time, you won't be disappointed for a great Crossover, as well as _Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Cast Away_. More will come and more episodes for Watership Down, Stay Tuned!

After watching the sun completely rise, I decided to sit over at a open grass to watch Bigwig and his three _Owsla_ rabbits in training exercises. Bigwig excused me from this morning's exercise, so I decided to just observe the training exercise and I could get more out of it.

"You're a sorry-looking pack of layabouts aren't ya." Bigwig spoke to the three. "Get those ears up! Straighten those shoulders!"

Dandelion and Strawberry straighten their ears and shoulders a bit. Hawkbit's ear was not fully straight than his other ear, that caught Bigwig's attention. "This means you Hawkbit!" Bigwig came to him.

"You been down at the farm eating onions again, Bigwig?" Hawkbit was bit disgusted from Bigwig's breath, as he tries fanning out the breath with his paw.

"My, my." Bigwig said. "Aren't we witty. I ought to sack the bunch of you and start over again!"

"Oh! Would you please?!" Dandelion thought Bigwig was serious and considered it, only to _silflay_ as usual on the greens.

"Call yourself, _Owsla_! You're a joke you're! Pipkin and his junior _Owsla_ show more gums than you lot ever did, especially for Tyler!" Bigwig exclaimed.

We than looked over to see Pipkin is instructing Hazel's and Primrose's kittens; Gilia, Snowdrop, and Mallow, a technique of hop and roll. Apparently, funny as it sounds, they were doing their technique over sleeping Captain Broom, as he lied on the grass dozing, as each rabbit hops over him and roll just as soon they landed on the ground before doing a rollover.

 _Hmmm... I wonder how they learned it so young._ I said to myself, while watching I noticed Hazel, Primrose, and Blackberry were watching the kittens also.

"Hmmm... nimble little rascals aren't they." Hazel said.

"I'm pretty sure they got that from you guys." I spoke to Hazel.

"They're marvelous." Primrose smiled.

"And... there's our regular _Owsla_." Blackberry looked back towards Bigwig and his _Owsla_.

"Yep. This shows how the young more likely have to learn early." I added, as we look backed and watch Bigwig trained the _Owsla_.

"Right. Camouflage and concealment." Bigwig announced the next training exercise, as he looked before. "And I better not see any tails sticking out. Move!"

As Bigwig closed his eyes, without looking back, the trio of comedian started their joke. Hawkbit and Strawberry hid behind Dandelion, as they're about to perform their comedic moment of the year.

Hazel sighed. "They're really asking for it."

"And it maybe trouble." I got up and followed Hazel.

"Ready or not, here I come." Bigwig said out loud, what follows was that the trio quietly giggled, as they're pulling off the easy find in a Hide-Seek game.

"They're going to get now." I sternly said.

Bigwig opened his eyes and looked behind him to see the trio pulling their stunt, as Dandelion cleared his throat.

"No tails, sticking out Sir!" Dandelion jokingly put it.

"Oh my." I slapped my hand to my forehead in embarrassment.

"YOU LOT, DO LOOK FUNNY DO YOU?!" Bigwig let out an outburst. Hazel tried to calm him down, while the trio were laughing from their joke.

"Seriously guys, you don't even know how to stop, until you get someone's edging point." I tried to reason with them.

"Well... You're all on night patrol, until the _Inle's_ full! LAUGH THAT OFF! Dismissed!" Bigwig punishes the trio with night patrol. The worst punishment that anyone could get from an _Owsla_. The trio hurried off from Bigwig's fury. "They're the worst, sloppiest, why I have a good mind to-"

"Ease up on them, Bigwig." Hazel tried to calm him down.

"You should, you were that close of ripping their ears, before you could even try it, but you held it off good." I added.

"Besides, Woundwart's gone. The war with _Efrafa_ is over, it's time we let ourselves smell the clover." Hazel said to Bigwig.

"Am I still head of security or not?" Bigwig questioned Hazel.

"Well, of course." Hazel answered.

"Then I'll handle my _Owsla_ , as I see fit. Unless you'd like to relieve me of my captaincy." Bigwig stated, before hopping off.

"Aye yai yai. Good ol' Bigwig, as always." I sighed.

"At least you seemed to be on his good side. What should we do about it?" Hazel suggested.

"Just let him solve it out his own. I'm sure the trio would probably learn their lesson sooner or later." I said.

"If not?"

"Repeat, until they do." I said, before I dismissed myself and notice Pipkin is trying their exercise with Bigwig, but he managed to find the kittens in a instant. I knew Pipkin is trying very hard to become Captain one day, however in the mean time, he's Captain of the Newly Junior _Owsla_. Disappointed, Pipkin ran off leaving the kittens behind, as they continued to play.

* * *

"Andrew!" I heard Hazel's voice calling me. I headed back near the warren to see Hazel, along with Fiver, Primrose, Captains Holly and Broom, Kehaar and Hannah.

"You called me?" I asked him.

"Yes, I hope you don't mind that you could be able to join along with Fiver and the others to find more _Efrafan_ rabbits." Hazel said.

"We're continuing to search for more of them?" I questioned.

"I'm afraid so. We'll be able to get them back into shape, before they could be offered to stay with us or join Moss's warren." Hazel explained.

"Well... I know Tyler would wanted to join along, but I'll do my best." I decided to join them.

Hazel smiled with a nod. "Make sure you all come back by nightfall. We don't you all getting lost."

"And make sure Bigwig doesn't lose himself for sure with those three." I warned Hazel.

"I'll make sure of it. However, I can't give you any guarantees."

"Alright, enough chit chat. Let's get a move on, shall we?" Captain Holly spoke and we followed him and Captain Broom, as they took lead.

During our search, we started at the open fields, before we started to circle around the woods. By far, we have no luck of finding any _Efrafa_ _n_ rabbit.

"No luck so far." I said.

"I'm sure they would be around anywhere, we just have to keep our search." Fiver encourages.

"Even Kehaar and Hannah are flying by and ahead to see any rabbit around." Primrose added.

"If I were an _Efrafan,_ I would be hiding right in there." Captain Holly spotted a small size of a hole that a rabbit could hide in the tree.

"Not a great concealment though, apparently any predator- I mean _elil_ could come around and snatch a rabbit, as he/she was cornered.

Captain Broom went towards the tree to check any signs of a rabbit by footprint and it's scent. "Holly's right, a rabbit was here. Before, a fox came out and got him, the poor lad didn't have a chance."

 _Yaaaaa!_ We heard Kehaar, with Hannah on his back, coming back towards from no sign around us or past the fields.

"We'll search the forest now, Kehaar." Primrose called out and told him. "Circle wide and meet us at the Mossy Glade."

"Okay!" Kehaar shouted, before he flew towards the forest.

"The forest?" I questioned.

"Evidently, any rabbit could hide there." Captain Broom stated.

"I thought we're not supposed to go beyond the boundaries without consent." I recalled about an _Owsla_ rule that we should never wonder off by own, without their Captain and squad.

"Andrew, we have to go. If they're not around the fields, our next place would be in the forest." Fiver said.

"Despite of higher chances of _eili_ could come up and divert us." I warned.

"If that happens, we'll split off and regroup." Captain Holly planned.

"Strategy, my boy." Captain Broom quoted.

"Fine, I just don't want to get robbed, okay." I finalized, as we about to enter the forest. When we started our search, not a single trail of a _Efrafan_. Only there was nothing, but hearing birds chirp.

"You know the worst time of going to a forest or the woods was actually night." I said.

"We all know that, because of _elil_." Primrose told me.

"No, I was talking about humans and of course probably back at the older times like Medieval or end of Dark Ages or something like that. Even you before Modern times too." I said.

"Why's that, Andrew?" Fiver asked.

"Well, most of myths all that stuff of course that hardly anybody reads that they'll be traced by creatures of myth. For example, like Bigfoot." I said.

"What's that?" Captain Holly asked.

"A Bigfoot is a ape looking creature that walks in the woods, normally in mountain areas or woods that he lurks there." I answered.

Fiver shivered. "You mean... like here?"

"No Fiver, they're only myths, but where they normally lurk is at the Pacific Northwest." I assured Fiver.

"So near where you're from." Fiver said.

"Not close, but it could be anywhere there's woods, forests, lakes especially." I told him.

"Any of them found?" Captain Broom asked.

"No, there are photos, but they don't really seemed legit, so I don't they're real." I answered.

"Alright, just don't try to frighten the children about 'Bigfoot'." Primrose warned me.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Who would?" By than, everyone stared at me. "Oh come on, it's not like I'm going to tell them about it."

"I think we heard enough stories for now." Fiver stated.

"I guess... Hey check it out, you guys!" I said, before I found some footprints of rabbits. I ran to the footprints and they're rabbit's feet, there's two separate pairs of rabbits feet. "Don't you think that could be _Efrafan_?"

Captains Holly and Broom investigated the footprints and the scents.

"They're no longer fresh scent." Captain Holly said.

"However, they were here. They may be _Efrafan_." Captain Broom stated.

"So that could possibly mean that _Efrafan_ rabbits could lurk around here and they're lost." I summed up.

"A good find, we'll have to follow the tracks to see if they're still alive." Fiver suggested.

"Strategy my boy." Captain Broom quoted again.

"Why you keep saying that?" I asked him.

"Say what, my boy."

"'Strategy my boy'." I quoted with a good impersonation, even the others chuckled for a good laugh.

"Good impersonation, but I see a good one, when I hear one, what-what." he stated.

"Hey, that means it could be your catchphrase." I joked.

"Not a joke, but a compliment."

"Fair enough." I said, as we're about to continue to follow the tracks in hopes to find at least a few _Efrafan_ rabbits that we could be able to escort them to safety back to our warren, before letting them make a decision to join our warren or find Moss's warren.

 _To Be Continued..._


	94. Episode 28: The Wanderer Part 2

The Wanderer Part 2

We're still following the tracks that showed two different paw prints of two different rabbits. Seconds in, we than heard a scream, that we all went on guard.

"What was that?!" I asked.

"Get into cover!" Captain Holly instructed us to hide in the bushes to conceal ourselves. I ended up hiding with Fiver in a bush and listened to screaming.

"It has to be somebody in need of our help, what do you think Fiver." I said, as I looked over to Fiver and he started to shiver. "Fiver?"

 _An Efrafan rabbit ran out of luck, another Efrafan we'll save. A human seeks revenge for our friend in the past._ Fiver visioned.

"Fiver!" I gently shook him and gasped in horror. "Are you alright?"

"A vision came. We're unable to save him." Fiver feared.

"It's never to late!" I exclaimed, as I was about to go out, but Fiver pulled me back to the bush.

"Easy yourself, Andrew! We can't do anything for him." Fiver sadly put it.

We continued to hear the scream that I wanted to cover my ears, but it started to fade to assume he's dead. Finally, we came out of the bushes and the captians sniffed for _elil_.

"No _elil_ will be passing here." Captain Holly informed us.

Without having an thinking, I dashed off to continue to follow the same trail we been following, as I heard Fiver and the others calling out for me. I hurried fast as I could to see in wishful thinking that I was not to late. However, until I arrived at a small pond. I looked at the edge towards the water, where I saw two paw prints stopped. I even noticed a another paw print that looked like a size of a weasel and trailed small drips of blood. I gasped, as I dropped down on the grass in fright. As I looked at at the second paw print of a rabbit, it ended by the pond's water, to assume he jump and swam for his live, while leaving the first rabbit to be killed by a weasel.

"Andrew!" Fiver called out for me, as he was searching for me, until I saw him by the top of a hill. "I found him!"

The others came down to join up with me. "Are you mad, dashing out like that?! You could have been eaten by a fox!" Captain Holly disciplined me.

"I'm sorry. I just got carried away in hopes of saving the rabbit in need." I apologized.

"I know you wanted to save." Fiver placed his paw on my shoulder. We than heard Kehaar calling out, as he still with Hannah on his back, before making a landing.

"We've been all over! Not a single sign of lost _Efrafans_." Hannah informed us.

"We found two tracks of them. One presumed to have fled and another..." I said, before I broke down in regret that I could have saved him.

Captain Holly sniffed at the tracks and recognized a scent. "A weasel."

"That was probably the reason we heard of scream, as a weasel attacked one of the rabbits." I mentioned.

Captain Broom sniffed and looked at the paw prints. "Seemed an _Efrafan_ ran out of luck. Going into a fight with a weasel, not long ago either."

I sighed and shook my head.

"Vervain was here." Primrose sniffed on a tracking of another tracking and revealed it was Vervain's.

"Vervain was here?!" I exclaimed.

"Oh... I surely love to stumble on old Vervain." Captain Holly stated.

"I would. Especially, what happened to Tyler." I added.

"You wouldn't bring him back to Watership Down, would you?" Fiver asked.

"Sure, why not. Give him lots of carrots." Kehaar suggested.

"I didn't say I'd like to bring him home." Captain Holly said what he meant.

"I'm sure what you meant is giving him thrashing." I understood what Captain Holly really meant.

"Any luck Fiver?" Primrose asked him, while he was sniffing for Vervain's tracks.

"Not a whiff of him." Fiver answered.

"He always was a slippery bit of business, that Vervain." Captain Holly said.

"I'm sure he would coward his way out of anything that would involve himself in danger." I added.

"We'd best get moving. The weasel might come back." Primrose suggested.

I shook my head. "Doubtfully he would." I picked up a dab of blood that was left there. "It was moistly warm moments ago, but I'm sure he won't come back."

"We're about done hunting lost _Efrafans_!" Hannah protested.

"Not while we know there's still more out there." Primrose said. "We destroyed _Efrafa_ Hannah, and it's our responsibility for us to find anyone from there are lost."

"So much of Iraq really." I remembered about the current struggles with Iraq, when we tumbled Saddam Hussein and later troubles there resumed as ISIS forms.

"Say again, Andrew?" Primrose wondered what I said.

"Nothing important, just another experience my country had to deal with before... it's best not to discuss about it in full." I said, before dismissing it.

"You can bet your whiskers, there wouldn't be worrying about you, if it had gone the other way." Hannah said if it was different, if we're destroyed and _Efrafa_ would be looking for us to be brought back to them. The thought of it shivered me.

"Ohh... I wouldn't imagine that." I said.

"Yes, well that's the trouble with being staunch and heroic and all that. You've got to keep up the side." Captain Broom stated, before Kehaar takes off and continues the search. Everyone headed their way to continue the search, but stopped, as I was standing there.

"Andrew, you coming?" Fiver asked.

"What if Hannah said is true, if it had an different outcome." I said.

"What do you mean?"

"She stated, if we lost the fight and we scattered, they would probably search for us." I said. "Did that ever occur to you?"

"No and I would never thought of it." Fiver answered.

"Well, let's say if I was to be sentenced by a judge with it's juries from a crime I committed or aiding the enemy. If they ended deciding to sentence me to be a servant, would you accept it?"

The others looked at each other.

"We never thought of an different outcome, we only believed what we will accomplish and that is that." Fiver said. "If it has to be, if we're sentenced, it has to be until we decided to get tired of it."

"Come to think of it, if I was. I would prefer what a historian scholar said in a documentary that nothing is worst than be being burned at the stake, at least you get it over with." I recalled a documentary I watched on YouTube.

The rabbits looked a bit concerned from what I said. "Meaning if I was sentenced by _Efrafa_ , I would rather die than to live and that is that." After finishing my sentence, I continued on to search with them to find any more _Efrafans_ we could find.

* * *

After searching hours continuously, we stopped reached at another pond or a brook that was blocked off with barbed wire fences. The sun even faded away, as clouds came in and started to fog the whole pond.

"The fog's coming in." I said.

"We may have to end our search soon. It may be getting late." Captain Holly suggested.

"Couldn't agree more." Captain Broom agreed.

"We're going to end our search like that?" Fiver questioned.

"Face it Fiver, we looked everywhere since noon, we couldn't find any other traces or signs of them. Probably, like the one we found tracking is dead, but others are presumed missing and uncounted or worst." I said in comes to reality check. "I'm afraid we can't find anybody else. It would take a miracle to find someone else in need."

"Yaaaaa!" we heard Kehaar coming down in a hurry.

"What is it, Kehaar?" Primrose asked.

"We must hurry, a rabbit in need of our help!" Kehaar shouted, before taking off for us to follow.

"It maybe an _Efrafan_ rabbit! There is hope to find at least one more!" Fiver kept up his hope.

"I hope so too Fiver, I hope so too." I sarcastically hoped, because I knew in reality, there wouldn't be a chance.

We made a mad dash by following Kehaar, as he flew above us. When we arrived at another part of the pond or brook, we saw a rabbit struggling in the water, as he went above and under the water. Up came a black and dark gray rabbit, as it was none other than... Vervain!

"LET _THE BLACK RABBIT OF INLE'_ TAKE ME!" Vervain screamed for his life to end, while struggling to keep himself afloat, while being tangled by barbed wires.

"What makes you think, he'll want you Vervain?" Captain Holly questioned, as it would be just deserts for the whole warren, even for Primrose, as she remember her days in _Efrafa_.

"Hang on Vervain, we'll get you out." Fiver started to head his way to the water to help Vervain, before Captain Holly stopped him.

"Let's not be too hasty, Fiver."

"We can't leave him like this! Captain Broom?! Primrose?!" Fiver exclaimed, as he tried to encourage other rabbits to lend Vervain a hand.

"He kidnapped me from Redstone, Fiver! All those seasons locked away in _Efrafa_! He made my life miserable." Primrose exclaimed.

"I say we leave him here." Captain Holly insisted.

"I won't beg for my life. Go, leave me in peace!" Vervain stated.

"Andrew?" Fiver asked me. "You wouldn't leave him like this, would you?!"

"You know what he has done to you and Tyler. If you insist on leaving him." Captain Holly reminded me and offered a suggestion.

Two choices: let him suffer in a drowning death or free him from his suffering. I continued to have dreams of them of making a decision, if I was ever to come across with Vervain again. Remembering what he has done to me while being held captive in _Efrafa_ : giving me a thrashing with his paws, even blinded me with a twig, like a desperate hostage being escorted by a terrorist, being used as a demand to release me in a prisoner exchange, even at one point rejected a call to hear my mother's voice for the first time, while being held captive.

And of course, I couldn't forget about Vervain leaving Lush to die, with little time for myself to carry him back to Watership Down to die in a warm warren. Finally, assaulting Tyler, even destroying his Zune HD player in the process. The vengeful flame continues to burn as it expands like a wildfire. Deep down, I knew that leaving him to suffer wouldn't make myself a better human being. My hand struggled, as I tried to reach for my switchblade.

 _If we leave Vervain like this, we're no better than he is. I'm afraid it's not our chaps, simply not all!_ I than heard Captain Broom protested.

 _Hazel wouldn't turn his back on a rabbit in trouble, any rabbit!_ Fiver exclaimed, as he mentioned about his older brother wouldn't leave a rabbit to drown in a pond.

 _They're right._ Primrose finally admitted, as she probably thought about her mate. Fiver and Captain Broom jumped into the pond and started to free Vervain, until they struggled with a twisted wire around Vervain's neck.

 _We can't free him from his neck, it's nearly tightened from the wire._ Fiver stated. _Andrew, help us please._

I still froze as a statue contemplating what to do.

 _Tyler would wanted you to help any animal, even a rabbit!_ Fiver exclaimed. I finally walked down to the pond, as I released my switchblade from my holster. I tried to find a good spot to cut, but it became difficult as Vervain continues to keep himself afloat and struggled from the barbed wire around his neck.

"KEEP STILL AND DON'T MOVE!" I screamed as if the whole pond heard me. Vervain finally stopped, as he remained calm, as he gently kept himself afloat. I opened my blade and started to cut the barbed wire around his neck. In a instant, I got a good cut that his neck is free. Primrose and Captain Holly grabbed him by his ears and pulled him to dry grassy land.

"What do we do now? Bring him home to live with us?" Hannah asked.

As soon he finally got back on his feet and fell onto the grass again, I quickly got out of the water, as I walked towards him and started to punch him in retaliation for Tyler's injuries he endured from Vervian's paws. I even started to kick him repeatedly, before giving him more punches. At one point I reached for my blade in thought of leaving him a mark on his back or probably giving him real cut.

"ANDREW STOP IT, PLEASE!" Fiver jumped in and pulled my arm that has my blade, luckily my blade wasn't out, because if I had swing my arm away, I would have accidentally cut Fiver. "That's enough! The war is over, and you know Tyler is alive and well." he remained me with a whisper.

I at least I continued to have my blade on me and grabbed Vervain by his chest. "Alright, Vervain. You're very lucky that we didn't leave you or give me the chance to gut you. Now here's the deal, you're going to stay away from Watership Down, everyone lives in Watership Down especially Tyler, you understand! And you're going to tell your remaining comrades you come across or even have the slightest inch of finding Woundwart alive and you'll be relaying to him that same exact warning that I'm giving you. If Woundwart or his _Owsla_ don't want to listen to you, tell them that you don't want to take part of it anymore. That's it, got it?" I than opened my blade it was nearly touching his neck, as he remain silent. "I hope you take that as a 'yes', if I ever heard from you that you continued to endanger our warren or anyone we know or see you again repeating what you have done before, it'll be get fricking ugly! I'll make sure that you wouldn't not want the moon disappear or not having a single star. It'll will be black as night that I'll find you and I'll gut you like a fish and open you wide up, and use you for rabbit's stew!"

Vervain shook his head, as if he got my message, as if I was a tough movie character, like Walt Kowalski from _Gran Torino_.

"Andrew, you got him the message." Fiver gently pulled me away from Vervain.

"Leave here, Vervain and never come back." Primrose even give him a warning as well, before we started to make our journey for home.

"I shall Primrose, thank you." I heard Vervain from a distance, as he was still trying to catch his breath.

* * *

Around the evening, we're just about near home, as we climbed our way up the hill. We didn't say a single word, as we're heading back, until Primrose started to have second thoughts if we made the right decision of freeing Vervain.

"I wonder we made the right decision of letting Vervain go free." Primrose thought.

"What's done is done, my dear." Captain Broom summed it up.

"If it wasn't for Fiver or to say he wasn't around, I wouldn't let Vervain live. Not after what he has done to everyone, even me." I added, as I sighed. "Fiver, I don't what to say, but thank you and I'm sor-" Before I could apologize, he started to shiver, while his eyes were half closed, before widening them.

 _The one-eyed evil lives again! A wandering darkness, his mind insane. He gathers an army beginning with one. The Battle for Peace is not yet done!_ Fiver visioned before he passed out.

"Fiver, wake up!" Primrose gently shook up, but he was out cold, but he was still breathing.

"It's best to get him home, before the rain comes." Captain Broom suggested, as we hurried back with the three of us: The captains and myself carrying Fiver, as we continued to climb up.

We finally managed to climb to see Hazel and Blackberry coming out of the warren. "Fiver!" Hazel exclaimed, as he hurried to him. "What happened to him?"

"He had a vision." Primrose answered, before she recited the vision. _The one-eyed evil lives again. A wandering darkness, his mind insane. He gathers an army beginning with one. The Battle for Peace is not yet done._

"'The one-eyed evil'... Woundwart." Hazel figured. "He's alive."

"That can't be true. Please Hazel, that can't be true!" I exclaimed into disbelief.

"I'm afraid so, Andrew. I'm afraid so." Hazel nodded his head.

In minutes, I stormed myself towards the edge of the down, as I tossed my switchblade in rage and kicked the grass, as my anger boiled over as the lightening flashed. "SON OF A -" a boom of thunder rang to silent my curse that not a single rabbit has heard what I shouted. I fell down on my knees and continued to scream, until I was out of breath.

 _I shouldn't let him go. I shouldn't let him go. I shouldn't let him go._ I mumbled, as I repeated the same sentence of not freeing Vervain. I started to hear flashbacks of _Efrafa_ and Vervain tormenting me again.

"Andrew." I felt a gentle paw, as I turned to see it was Hazel with Blackberry. I shook my head. "I shouldn't let him go."

"Who?" he asked.

"Vervain. We came across with him at a pond. He was struggling to keep himself floating while being trapped by barbed wires. Fiver wanted to free him from just an act of kindness. Primrose and Captain Holly rejected at first, until they won over by him and Captain Broom." I told him what happened at the pond.

"What about you?" he asked.

"I contemplated. I froze and didn't know what to do, as Fiver tries to ask for my help. Until they were desperate for my help that I did."

"And you did."

I shook my head. "I still wasn't myself at the time, my anger took control over me and thrashed Vervain, as he did to Tyler. I'm sure I'll be marked for this, if Vervain sees Woundwart alive."

Hazel sighed and remained silent, as Blackberry was shocked in bit of horror on her face.

"I could just leave and you guys won't be harmed and I'll turn myself in."

"No, either way we're part of it now." Blackberry rejected. "If Woundwart is alive, he'll be coming after all of us, before you."

"I'm sorry for what I did." I apologized.

"It's not entirely your fault. Not everything. You were aggressive and have no control." Hazel said.

"Even Fiver visioned about it, before it happened." I said.

"What did he say?" he asked.

" _An Efrafan rabbit ran out of luck, another Efrafan we'll save. A human seeks revenge for our friend in the past."_ I recited Fiver's vision, before breaking my voice. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I been through Hell enough, I can't go through it again."

"And you won't. We'll be by your side to the end, if Woundwart comes and destroys us all or you returned back to your world." Hazel stated.

"It may not be even matter if I stay or leave. I'll be marked for it and I'll be dead." I teared up.

Hazel gave me a warm hug, as Blackberry joined us. In a quick second, a flash of lightening and thunder boomed. She clanged onto us hard that I couldn't breath.

"Blackberry... you're squeezing too hard." I told her.

"Oh, I'm sorry." she apologized.

"It's alright, afraid of lightening?" I asked, as I cleaned up my tears.

"Sometimes, that strange power in the sky. I wonder where it comes from and what's it for." she answered.

" _Frith_ knows." Hazel said.

"It's just an atmospheric discharge in the sky to make storm." I answered. "It's practically normal that I admired it too."

"You liked the weather like this?" Hazel questioned me.

"Yes, and the heavy rain too." I answered.

"Perhaps that's the reason why at one spring night, you were in the rain getting wet." Hazel joked.

"Hey, I did say I like this weather." I laughed from his joke, as the three of us laughed.

"I suggest we better get inside, before the storm goes any further that it rains." Hazel suggested.

* * *

The three of us got back towards the warren's entrance to see four kittens: Pipkin, Snowdrop, Gilia, and Mallow were outside.

"Children, what are you doing out here?" Hazel asked.

"We're waiting for Bigwig for roll call." Pipkin answered. In seconds, Bigwig came out of the warren, as the kittens saluted. "Junior _Owsla_ , ready for night patrol, sir!"

"Eh, at least somebody's working hard." Bigwig saluted back.

"I think we should salute back as well." Hazel said, as he and I gave the kittens a salute.

Bigwig even noticed Hazel was here and he knew better of not letting the kittens going off at night, even for a night patrol. "But I'm afraid you can't go out for a real night patrol, just yet."

The kittens sighed and moaned in disappointment.

"Sorry lad. There's more to being an _Owsla_ , than good intentions." Bigwig pointed out.

"What about good tricks than?" Pipkin hopped forward and suggested.

"You been doing tricks?" I asked.

"Of course, we got that too. Watch this!" Pipkin answered, as the kittens performed a trick by rolling in the grass and gave me and Bigwig a kick that knocked us off our feet to the grass. As the two of us are on the ground, we heard laughing to find out it was, Hawkbit, Dandelion, and Strawberry.

"You think that's funny, do you?!" Bigwig went a bit stiff from their laughter.

"No! No, no, no. Not at all." Hawkbit answered.

"Well these four, did something that you lot have never done and knock me off my feet. Well done" Bigwig commended the kittens.

"Yeah, even better than us I tell you." I added, before a flash of lightening came back.

"Right! _Owsla_ on night patrol!" Bigwig initiated patrol for the three, as rain started to pour down.

"Do we have to? I mean... in a weather like this? Look at this filthy weather coming in!" Hawkbit questioned.

"NOW! I'LL BE CHECKING ON YA!" Bigwig ordered and the three headed off from the warren for patrol. He than came back to the kittens. "How about you patrol around the warren tonight, if Hazel agrees."

"As you long you four stayed close and please be careful and look after each other." Hazel was hesitant, as he cautioned the kittens.

"I'll stay out too and just to be here. I'll go look for them if they wander off." I decided to stay out for a bit, just lower the least of little worry for Hazel.

"But straight back, if storm gets worst understood." Bigwig added.

"Yes, thank you Bigwig!" Pipkin agreed and thanked him, along with the three.

"That flying kick is quite the fighting trick Pipkin, only rabbits I ever saw do that were Tyler and Campion." Bigwig complemented.

"Oh... they... they taught me back, while being a prisoner at _Efrafa_. And Tyler showed us more tricks, when he came back." Pipkin stuttered.

"I see...right off you go than." Bigwig stated, before he dismissed the kittens for a short patrol.

"We'll be off our rounds you two, hope you get along." Hazel stated, before he went back in.

"Have a goodnight." Blackberry said, before she sighed and headed back.

"What's wrong with Blackberry?" I asked Bigwig.

"She's missing Campion, since he left with Tyler for training." Bigwig answered. "So, where have you been?"

"Went on search patrol with Fiver, Primrose, and Captains Holly and Broom. Even Kehaar and Hannah were part it." I answered.

Bigwig knew what I meant. "Any sign?"

I shook my head in disappointment. "Not a many left. We even had a run in with Vervain."

"Vervain?"

"Yes, we even had to rescue him, out of helping others. I was hesitant of doing it, especially what happened to Tyler and everybody else. I even let him a good thrashing." I continued.

"Well done, lad."

"Not really! You don't ended up beating an enemy after you rescued that rabbit or a person from drowning! I should've know better, if someone was hurt by someone in the past it's to forgive, forget and move on. I gave Vervain a warning after Fiver stopped me. If I continued and Fiver didn't stop me, I would have killed Vervain. I can't help myself sometimes, when people or even customers in the matter at work. If I was alone and away from work, I'll burst into rage and go wild!"

"Now calm yourself, lad. We all go mad at times and I do too." Bigwig comforted me.

"Yes, but it doesn't mean it's excusable." I agreed, as I also pointed out. "Now that Woundwart is alive-"

"Alive?!" he exclaimed.

"Fiver had a vision and we all knew that it will be Woundwart." I continued. "I know Fiver's visions don't lie. Like being put into hypnosis."

"Into what?" he asked.

"A hypnosis, someone is still conscious, but more focused while not being voluntary. More to say being controlled." I explained.

"You know, I was about ready to give the three a thrashing and pulling out of their ears." Bigwig said.

"Hawkbit's, Dandelion's, and Strawberry's?" I asked.

"Indeed. I think they took it into their own hands, as I was having a nap. I was trapped inside my burrow by those lot that I had to dig myself out." Bigwig told me what happened earlier today, while I was away. It had me laughed, but I tried not too, because at the same time, it would've been dangerous.

"Sorry, I know it's funny, but you never know if something might happen to the warren and we needed you." I apologized.

"No need, I got my own good laugh, when I frightened Hawkbit in his sleep." Bigwig went on, for a payback that was twice as more funnier than before.

"I guess you gave him good fright off his whiskers." I laughed.

"You could say that again." Bigwig chuckled from thinking about it, we than started to look around to notice the kittens haven't came back. "I told them they should come straight back soon as the storm is worsening the minute."

"Perhaps it's best to go look for them." I suggested, before we could start our search we heard shrieks not far from us.

"Is that them?" I asked.

"It is, let's go and see." Bigwig answered and we both headed out to follow the shrieks and saw the four kittens fleeing for their lives.

"IT'S _THE BLACK RABBIT OF INLE'_!" one of the kittens shouted.

"Not the way I see it! It looked more to be like 'Bigfoot'!" I heard Pipkin exclaimed, as they hurried back to the warren.

"'Bigfoot'? What's got into them?" Bigwig questioned me.

I than remembered what Primrose has stated earlier today during our search. "Uh-oh." I started to follow the kittens back to the warren. "Wait, don't your mother please! It wasn't 'Bigfoot'!"

I continued to hurry after them, as Bigwig shook his head with a smirking smile, before he headed off to check _Owsla_ on night patrol. As I was going after them, I'm sure I'll be given a good talk by Primrose, as if she would be mothering me some sort... Maybe.

"We don't need to think about it, or recalling anything what we told you about!"

 _To Be Continued..._


	95. Episode 29: The Nestling Prologue

The Nestling Prologue

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas for this prologue.

In the very early in the morning, Campion woke up as he slowly opened his eyes to hear singing somewhere outside of the cave. He slowly went outside and there he saw Tyler, standing on a rock, singing slowly in a very peculiar language.

 _Yami no naka de futeki ni warau SHIRUETTO_

 _Kono shoutai shiritakerya catch me if you can_

 _Destiny! yokoku suru_

 _Hontou no neuchi wo rikai suru mono dake ni_

 _Hikari hanatsu mongai-fushutsu no KOREKUSHON_

 _Lupin, Karei ni mau_

 _Chase you up, Ubaikaesu_

 _Ushinaishi toki wo tokasu tame DAIYARU mawase_

 _Lupin, Semattekuru_

 _Chase you up, Yatsura ni adieu_

 _Azayaka ni Lupinranger_

 _It's showdown!_

Tyler than breathed in and out slowly, as if not a single critter cared at all.

"That sounded beautiful." Campion complimented.

Tyler turned his head to see Campion standing not far from where he was. "Nothing like foreign languages to freshen your mind. Gilia and I would usually sing each other to sleep with those songs."

"To think that you and Gilia are probably the youngest couple ever." Campion stated.

Tyler sadly sighed, as he hopped down from the rock. "I miss her, Campion."

"I don't blame you, son. But I'm sure you wanted Gilia to stay strong."

"I do." Tyler added.

"What do you say that we start your training a bit early." Campion suggested to lessen the homesickness and able to keep him mentally strong.

"I can't wait to get started, Master Campion. Sign me up!" Tyler decided to keep his mind into his training. "You know, Campion... back when I was a human boy... I would always go to this place that teaches man how to self-defend themselves. Those were special arts known as Kung-Fu, Judo, Taekwondo, etc. Since you are teaching me some of your skills, I'll be happy to teach you my stuff. Now... we need training fields. My old teachers always had the best."

"And we all got is this..." Campion pointed out nearly closed tight space for the woods with a cave for their place to rest at night.

"It's alright, we'll just have to find a open field, at the same time to be cautious about humans hunting and _elil_." Tyler suggested.

Campion than agreed and the two started to look for an open field where they would have space. They both looked around, hoping they would find some training fields. It wasn't until it hit them, as they see a sight of an open field with green meadows moving in the direction where the wind blows.

"Mother nature!" Tyler exclaimed.

"Who?" Campion asked.

"Mother Nature is personification about nature and the Earth. Although, _Frith_ created the world and the animals. I always see it, as if Mother Nature does the real work."

Campion nodded his head, as they continued to gaze at the beautiful view. "Mother Nature!" they both exclaimed.

Tyler than put on his Zune HD and played a song called _Tiger Feet_.

"What's the music for?" Campion asked.

"Training time." Tyler stated, as they started combat training.

 _One, two_  
 _One, two, three, four!_

 _All night long, yeah_  
 _You've been looking at me_  
 _Well, you know you're the dance hall cutie you long to be_  
 _Oh well, now you've been laying it down_  
 _You've got your hips swinging out of bounds_  
 _And I like the way you do what you're doing to me_

 _That's right_  
 _That's right_  
 _That's right_  
 _That's right_  
 _I really love your tiger light_

"Now you have to do a grabbing and then throw." Tyler teaches Campion Judo.

Campion manages to perform a grab and a throw, tossing Tyler to the ground quickly.

"That's impressive, Master Campion." Tyler complimented.

 _That's neat_  
 _That's neat_  
 _That's neat_  
 _That's neat_  
 _I really love your tiger feet_  
 _I really love your tiger feet_  
 _Your tiger feet_  
 _Your tiger feet_  
 _Your tiger feet_  
 _Alright!_

"Now you have to do a hop, roll, and pounce." Campion teaches Tyler a technique what he learned from _Efrafa_.

Tyler performed the exact direction that Campion instructed him to do, before he realizes that he's on the ground while Tyler is on top of him.

"Very impressive." Campion complimented. "Keep that up, you'll be ready to battle any Vervain."

 _Well, flash your warning lights just as long as you like_  
 _I know you're aching to be making me tonight_  
 _I've got a feeling in my knees_  
 _A feeling only you can please_  
 _There ain't no way I'm gonna let you outta my sight (hey, hey, hey!)_

 _That's right_  
 _That's right_  
 _That's right_  
 _That's right_  
 _I really love your tiger light_

 _That's neat_  
 _That's neat_  
 _That's neat_  
 _That's neat_  
 _I really love your tiger feet_  
 _I really love your tiger feet_  
 _Your tiger feet_  
 _Your tiger feet_  
 _Your tiger feet_  
 _Alright!_

 _Let's find out_  
 _Ready, set, go!_

 _That's right_  
 _That's right_  
 _That's right_  
 _That's right_  
 _Really love your tiger light_  
 _That's neat_  
 _That's neat_  
 _That's neat_  
 _That's neat_  
 _Really love your tiger feet_  
 _I really love your tiger feet_  
 _Your tiger feet_  
 _Your tiger feet_

 _Oh well, now you've been laying it down_  
 _You've got your hips swinging out of bounds_  
 _And I like the way you do what you're doing to me_

 _That's right_  
 _That's right_  
 _That's right_  
 _That's right_  
 _I really love your tiger light_  
 _That's neat_  
 _That's neat_  
 _That's neat_  
 _That's neat_  
 _I really love your tiger feet_

 _I really love your tiger feet_  
 _Your tiger feet_  
 _Your tiger feet_  
 _Your tiger feet_  
 _Alright!_

 _That's right_  
 _That's right_  
 _That's right (tiger feet)_  
 _That's right_  
 _That's right_  
 _That's right_  
 _That's right (tiger feet)_  
 _That's right_  
 _That's neat_  
 _That's neat_  
 _That's neat (tiger feet)_  
 _That's neat_  
 _I really love, I really love (tiger feet), I really love, I really love_  
 _I really love your tiger feet_  
 _Tiger feet_


	96. Episode 29: The Nestling Part 1

The Nestling Part 1

Author's Note: I would like to thank, as always to Supernova2015 for his ideas for this episode. Also I would like to say Have a Wonderful Happy Thanksgiving to you all and sorry for the delay.

I woke up in the morning and it seemed to be a typical morning, except when I came out of the warren I saw Fiver with Hawkbit, Dandelion, and Strawberry. They were standing by the edge of the down discussing about Woundwart being alive, by the time I joined in with their conversation.

"Is Woundwart really out there, Fiver?" Strawberry asked.

"'The one eyed evil lives again. A wandering darkness, his mind insane. He gathers an army beginning with one. The Battle for Peace is not yet done.'" Fiver quoted his vision that he had from the night before, after from our patrol of finding any remaining missing _Efrafan_ rabbits.

"Well... that seems the most clearer than your other visions." Dandelion spoke. "Bit more unsettling."

"That doesn't sound right doesn't it? I mean Woundwart walks away from 'The Battle of _Efrafa_ '." Hawkbit doubted.

"Not really." I said. "Because the last time I saw him, was at the battle and all I know is that he disappeared with Vervain. However, we seen Vervain alive that's good enough, but Woundwart... I think he may be among us, from what Fiver visioned."

"What you're saying is Woundwart among us, like a ghost?" Strawberry asked.

"That or alive and well. Anything is possible." I thought.

"Or a ghost, like you said. Walking amongst us." Hawkbit said, as he dropped his ears in superstition.

"Well, I'm not keen on ghosts." Dandelion shivered a bit.

"CHARGE!" we heard a battle cry charge from our behind. We saw Pipkin and his Junior _Owsla_ charging for us, as we didn't have enough time to react. We were than kicked and we started to roll down the hill, from the kick. After we stopped rolling, we could only look up to see the kittens laughing from their great surprise attack.

"Retreat!" Pipkin ordered his Junior _Owsla_ , as the four kittens flee, while laughing at us.

"Oof, I'm sure they got that from Tyler I'm sure." I groaned in sore from the kick and roll.

"So how come you didn't see that coming, oh 'Mystic Visionary'?" Hawkbit questioned Fiver.

"Pipkin and that Junior _Owsla_ are getting to be a lot in my tail." Dandelion annoyed from the Junior _Owsla's_ tricks.

"Yeah, but their training has been coming off for them." I complimented. "I might as well head my rounds for my walk. I'll see you around."

* * *

I went on my daily walks and looked around the brook to see the water streaming pass through. I sat down near the water and started to toss some small pebbles to the water. While I was there, I began to think about my current life, as I began to forgotten the most part of my past life. Every time I hear is "We'll help you find your way home" or "Have faith, and you'll find your way home", my hopes began to diminish on returning home. Even my phone calls would mean nothing now, since that last Christmas from Tyler's gift to me. It was probably a sign that I promise to my mother that I would find my way home, but the promise was never kept.

I looked to sky, as the trees' leaves is blown left and right from the wind. "Will I ever find my way home? If I'm meant to stay, then it maybe that. Perhaps until I'm dead."

I began to search my bag and found a notepad and a pencil. I went through page after page to find an empty page to write. As I was scanning through page after page, they were notes and writings about my experiences of being with the Watership Down rabbits in case I wanted to publish a book about it. If I do get home that is. Finally I found an empty page that I tore it off from the notepad and began to writing, basically my will.

 _Dear to someone whoever finds this note:_

 _I'm an American citizen that went missing (probably two to three years by now), I'm not sure I'm alive in my world. The reason was that I ended up being in Watership Down with kind hearted rabbits, whom they have done so much for me, as I was lost and trying to find my way home. It may seem pointless to know that I may never return home to my world that I originally hope. If this note is found with my body in a lifeless state (or dead), please deliver my back to the states in the state of California. I do apologize to my family and friends that I hardly made so much contact with, because usually I'm not too social or that I hardly interact with anyone that I may use to since I was a boy. And I do apologize to anyone especially my parents when I wasn't around with them. Give my love to my family that I love them so dearly. For my belongings, please distribute the movies, video games, and books if necessary to my inner family members: my sisters and my brother. I would more likely to use the money I have to have my body cremated and scattered the ashes to Bodega Bay, California and also my part of my ashes to Anchorage, Alaska in the cold snowy hills and rivers. I rather not want to have my "earthly" body rot away in a box or a coffin to be decomposed._

 _Sincerely_ _Andrew_

I folded the note and placed it in my tight pant's pocket and I continued to watch the waters flow and pass through. I than heard a rustle from the bushes that I looked around and forgetting that _elil_ could come around any corner and hunt me down. I kept my switchblade ready in my holster belt in case. I slowly began to make my approach towards the bush and a growl sounded off.

It spooked me that I quickly stepped back to where I was and waited. The bush began to rustle again and I was ready to make my stand if it was a fox, weasel, or any other threat it could be. Before I could go into a combat stance, out came was adorable beagle puppy that it was probably a nine months (human months age) old and still young. The beagle charged up at me and knocked me to the ground and started to give me puppy kisses.

"Oh stop it! Please, you're tickling me!" I laughed from the beagle. "Hey there." I began to inspect the dog to see, he doesn't have a collar or a licence. "Who do you belong to?"

The beagle cutely tilted his head sideways.

"You may be a missing dog. I'm been missing about two or three years." I spoke to him, despite the puppy doesn't talk. He even began to whimper, as he was lonely for long or he was forgotten by the owner. "Awww... don't worry. Perhaps I could look after you, but I don't even know how Hazel and the others would take it. Because they fear of dogs because they're are _elil_."

The beagle started to kiss me again. "Alright, alright. Now, perhaps I could find you a spot near the down that you could rest in, since you wouldn't be able to stay inside the warren."

* * *

We started to begin our journey back to the warren, before he stopped and sniffed.

"What is it, boy?" I asked.

He continued to sniff in the air started to follow the scent, following with a bark. He dashed off, as I followed after him only to see it was Pipkin and his Junior _Owsla a_ only about a few meters ahead.

"Oh boy, wait, stop!" I commanded the dog, but he continued to follow, before going after them.

" _Elil_!" one of the kittens screeched and they started to hide for cover.

"Stop, be still!" I tried to command the dog, but he continued to howl, as if he was a hunting dog. "Dog, be still!"

After his howl, he stopped and turned towards me. "Easy, Dog. Their my friends. Now come!" Dog came back towards and stood still and it was time for the kittens come out of hiding. "You guys could come out now."

"Are you sure, he's a dog." Pipkin asked.

"I know, but he'll remind still." I assured Pipkin.

"Just say it to him again, for assurance." Snowdrop said.

"Dog, still." I commanded the dog with a pet. He remain seated and became calm. "I did it again, you guys could come out now."

The first to pop out was Pipkin, following Snowdrop, Gilia, and Mallow. They slowly hopped towards me and little frightened from the dog. "Sorry if he gave you a fright. Anyone of you hurt?"

"No, we're alright. We came here to find some stones." Pipkin answered.

"We're being challenged by our father, so we could go our solo patrol." Gilia added.

"Really? Wow... you guys sure do grow fast. How about this, we'll keep an eye for you four, while searching."

"Oh, that's alright. We won't be long, but afterwards, try not to be spotted around us, because we're going to steal the real stones." Pipkin spoke.

"So basically, you're swapping out with the ones you grabbed with the real stones you supposed to get." I figured out what they're plan.

"Exactly."

"I like it." I complimented. Before they could continue with their search, I saw Kehaar making a landing, while Hannah; as always, riding on his back.

"What you kids doing down here by your lonesome, hmm?" Kehaar asked the kittens.

"We're on a challenge." Snowdrop answered.

"We're looking for perfect white pebbles." Gilia added.

Kehaar looked around and spotted a pebble and dropped it onto Mallow's paw. "How's this?"

Mallow than inspected the pebble. "It's not perfect."

Kehaar and Hannah than spotted the dog sitting next to me. "Now Andrew, what is that you got there?"

"Oh, his name is Dog." I introduced him.

"'Dog'?"

"Yeah, just like the dog in _Big Jake_ , Jacob McCandles named his dog, 'Dog'." I continued.

"As long he doesn't eat mouses like me, I'll be fine. However, you should probably worry about Hazel and the others, when they spotted you with that dog."

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll won't hurt anyone and he'll just be around. Besides, he's a lost dog."

While the kittens continued to search for duplicate pebbles, a hawk jumped out of no where and spooked Snowdrop, as it was hiding behind a log.

" _Nildel_!" Snowdrop warned everyone, as she and the kittens got behind Kehaar and I gently restrained Dog so he doesn't go after the hawk. The hawk continued to walk towards us, while chirping and screeching.

"It's a youngster hawk." Kehaar said, as they both got to a near eye contact with each other, while blocking the kittens.

"Hawks love mice, not in a good way mind you." Hannah said.

"I'm not to sure about that." I doubted. "However, the real question is why a baby hawk doing by himself?"

"KEYAAAA!" Kehaar shouted that the baby hawk became spooked that he didn't know where he was going and he fell into the water. The baby hawk than started to screech, while flapping his wings for help, while being taken away by the current.

Pipkin and I started to go after the baby hawk, while Dog is following us and barking. "We need to grab him before the current takes him!"

We managed to get ahead of him and we began to pull him by his claws. He was a bit heavy that we couldn't be able to grab him, until another rabbit came out of no where.

"Keep pulling, I'll lightly pick him up." the rabbit spoke, as the three of us managed to pull the young hawk back to land.

"You three got bees on your ears, get away from that monster!" Hannah pleaded.

"He's not a monster, he's just a baby hawk or a 'hatchling'." another rabbit spoke. Pipkin and I turned to thank the rabbit for our help... only to see it was Tyler.

Gilia gazed at the rabbit and recognized the voice and fur. "Tyler!"

"Gilia!" Tyler turned and exclaimed to see his closest friend and lover. They both hugged each other for their reunion, as the two missed each other for so long. He than breaks the break and looked at us. "Hey, guys."

"Hello, Tyler. What brings you here?" Pipkin asked.

"Campion and I are taking a break from training, so I thought I go catch some fresh air, when I seem to have overheard you, Gilia, Snowdrop, and Mallow. Next thing you know, I was following your voices to investigate, and see you guys next beside a hawk." Tyler answered and he than saw my dog beside me. "And... a dog?"

"Yeah... it's a long story, but I found him and he seemed to be lost." I said, while scratching gently on Dog's ear.

"Wow, a hawk and a dog!" Tyler exclaimed.

We than looked over at the young hawk, as he shook himself to be dry. Pipkin made his approach to the hatchling. "Hello, don't be frightened. We won't hurt you."

"You don't hurt him now, he'll hurt you later." Hannah warned Pipkin about the hawk.

Pipkin turned back towards them. "We're looking for matching white pebbles, remember?" Everyone resumed searching, while Tyler joins with Gilia.

"Matching white pebbles?" Tyler questioned her.

"We're on a challenge. Pipkin planned on swapping the real pebbles with ours." Gilia explained to him.

"Come on, you'll be safe here." Pipkin showed the baby hawk to a good hiding place, where he could be hidden, until Pipkin and the Junior _Owsla_ came back from their challenge. "It's alright, do you have a name? The name's Pipkin."

"Scree." the baby hawk answered.

"Sound a suitable name for a hawk." I said, before Pipkin sternly looked at me. "Sorry. Either way, wonder where his mother is."

"He's lost, but Scree. That's a nice name." Pipkin stated. "How do you do, Scree."

Scree screeched lightly back in reply.

"Poor little guy." Kehaar felt sympathy for the hatchling. "He won't hurt you, he's hungry and scared."

"I'll just stay here, if you don't mind." Hannah wanted to remain next to Kehaar's head.

"It's a bit uncomfortable."

"We got them Pipkin!" Gilia said to Pipkin, as the three kittens, also with Tyler's help, they managed to find three white pebbles. "Perfect pebbles!"

"Watch Scree until we get back, please Kehaar. We got to go finish Hazel's test." Pipkin asked Kehaar to stay with the hatchling.

"Okay. I'll look after little guy." Kehaar accepted.

"We'll stay too, so you two don't get lonely." I said.

"I'll stay a little while, before heading back to meet up with Campion." Tyler agreed also.

Pipkin and his Junior _Owsla_ grabbed their three pebbles and headed on their way to finish their challenge.

"Good luck!" I shouted.

"Luck of _El-ahrairah_ to you all!" Tyler exclaimed.

The four watched Pipkin and his Junior before they're gone out of sight, before looking towards Scree. "Don't worry, Scree. They'll be back soon." Tyler assured Scree.

"Indeed little guy." Kehaar added.

"Not so little, but bigger everyday." Hannah stated.

Scree continuously shiver in frightened, as he was alone without his mother and food to provide for him.

 _To Be Continued..._


	97. Episode 29: The Nestling Part 2

The Nestling Part 2

While waiting for Pipkin and the Junior _Owsla_ to return from their challenge, me, Dog, and Tyler sat and waited on guard while Kehaar was snatching fish from the water and feeding it to Scree.

"Little guy eats like a herd of sheep." Kehaar stated.

"Not like the real herd of sheep that came to our down months back." I added.

"True, but those nestlings need all the food to grow strong, like their parents." Tyler said.

"Yea, but it's hard work looking after him." Kehaar added.

"It's hard work taking care of babies." Hannah said. "Still keen on having your own?"

"Not sure..."

"Have you ever look after younger siblings on your own?" I asked Kehaar.

"No, after we're old enough we learn to take care of our on." he answered.

I started to remember my twin sisters when I first seen them day after they were born. "It's strange to look back when my twin sisters were born, they were adorable. However at the same time, it was hard to adjust because when they arrive home that I had to look after them with my older siblings. At first I never took it seriously, until years later I understood how serious it was. Even my adopted, at the same time I was responsible and my twin sisters to look after her."

"What do they look like and what they do?" Tyler asked.

"Well, my twin sisters are not identical twins for sure: Amy does soccer most of the time and she paints nowadays, and my Allison does gymnastics and she's really great. Finally, my adopted sister Olivia... still young and goes to Kindergarten, or probably by now she's in second or third grade by now." I searched through my phone to find a picture of the three of them with me and showed them.

"What a beautiful picture!" Tyler adored the picture.

"Those baby chicks do grow fast." Kehaar awed.

"They're beautiful." Hannah saw the picture also.

I sighed. "I can't even remember the last time I seen my twin sisters were like Olivia's age, even Olivia herself as a baby."

"It's wonderful that you should treasure those moments, even if you forgotten about it." Tyler advised me.

I nodded my head, until Scree screeched and flapped his wings for attention more likely, like any other nestling or a baby would do.

"What's wrong little guy?" Kehaar walked over to Scree to see what's wrong with him. "You okay, too hot maybe, itchy feathers?"

"He'll spoil him rotten he will." Hannah smirked.

"He's doing quite well looking after the hatchling." Tyler complimented on Kehaar's parenting on the nestling.

* * *

Minutes later, Kehaar fell on his back and took a nap from exhaustion of looking after Scree. Even at one point, Scree tried to wake up him up.

"Don't worry Scree, he'll wake up soon. He's just need a little rest." I assured Scree. Dog began to sniff on my bag and wanted to scrounge in my bag.

"I don't know I have any food in there." I unzipped my bag and began to search through my bag. Luckily I found a container of blueberries that I picked along the way back yesterday during _Owsla_ patrol. I pulled out a blueberry and Dog got excited for a blueberry.

"Seems that dog wants it." Hannah spoke.

"Those beagles sure do love blueberries." Tyler said.

I took a deep breath and tried to have Dog do some tricks. "Dog, sit." He continued to bark over a blueberry. After repeating the command the second time, he sat down.

"Good boy, paw." I reached my hand out. He than reached his paw out that I gave him a good shake. "Good boy. Lay down." He turned his head to one side up and down. "Down..." He finally heard me that he got down. "Roll over. Roll over." Dog than rolled over and remained down. "Noww... up. Stand up." He stood back in all fours. "Good boy. You're a good boy!" I than gave him a blueberry, before I gave him three more and petted him.

"Wow, he's incredibly trained!" Tyler was amazed. "Most dogs won't always be like that unless they're being taught by humans."

"I guess he was trained before he became a stray." I said that upset Dog that he whimpered. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that." I gave him a good pet, as he started to give me puppy kisses.

"Something's got to be done about this hawk, Pipkin." Hannah tried to wake up Kehaar, as Pipkin and his Junior _Owsla_ came back. "We can't look after him day in and day out. Even your dog too, Andrew."

"Who says you're looking after Dog. I am." I said.

"How are they doing?" Pipkin asked.

"Scree is doing alright, but the only probably is that he needs to learn how to fly." Tyler answered.

"And Dog is doing alright, like any dog could, but he'll need some place to stay until he finds a new home or something." I added.

"We could bring them to Watership Down." Snowdrop insisted.

"You do and I'm gone." Hannah sparked.

"Come on, Hannah. It's only two different animals. Besides, it may temporary." I tried to reassure her.

"And Tyler's right, Scree can't take care of himself, because he can't fly." Gilia sided with Tyler.

"Then we'll teach him how to fly." Pipkin suggested.

"How could we teach a hawk to fly, we don't have wings." I said.

"We'll be able to help in a way, won't we Kehaar?" Pipkin than turned over to Kehaar, still asleep. Pipkin came over, while Dog started licking his face to wake him up. He than opened his eyes to find Pipkin was in front of him. "I said, won't we Kehaar?"

Kehaar yawned, as he woke from his nap."Why do I smell like dog?"

"Sorry Kehaar. It was a puppy kiss from Dog." I apologized, as Dog came back and than he lifted his head to sniff. "What is it boy?"

Everyone watched the beagle sniffed in the air. "Someone's here." I figured from what Dog was smelling.

Out from the bushes in a flash was Bigwig and quickly shielded Pipkin and the kittens. "Oi, get from that thing!"

Dog began to bark, as he spotted a stranger. "Dog no, easy! Stay!" I held onto the dog and commanded him to stay and be still. "Be still!" Dog than howled like a hunting dog. "Dog, no! Be still, he's a friend." I continued to restrain and holding him down, until he calmed down. "Good boy, Dog. Good boy."

"And Andrew, get away from that dog!" Bigwig exclaimed.

"We're supposed to be on solo patrol! And you followed us!" Pipkin was disappointed and a bit mad. I assumed that they won their challenge and they were on solo patrol.

"And a good thing too, are you barmy messing about _elil_?!" Bigwig questioned.

"He's not an _elil_ Uncle Bigwig, he's a friend!" Tyler protested. "He found us and we been looking after him, because he was only a hatchling."

"Tyler?!" Bigwig surprised that he didn't recognized at first, until he turned around to see him. "Tyler, you old chap! How have you been?!"

"I'm alright, and Campion is doing alright as well. We been taking a break from training." Tyler answered. "That was before I found Pipkin and the others, and of course looking after Scree."

"Scree?" Bigwig questioned.

"That's his name." Pipkin answered. "And we're going to teach him how to fly."

"You got a hope, come on you lot, hop home." Bigwig told them.

"'A job begun is a job done.' Isn't that in the _Owsla_ code?" Pipkin quoted from the _Owsla_ code and questioned Bigwig.

"Well yes, but-"

"We said we'll teach Scree to fly and we will. Won't we Kehaar?" Pipkin stated.

"Hmmm, never taught nestling to fly before." Kehaar scratched his head with his wing.

"Won't we Kehaar?!" Pipkin and his Junior _Owsla_ , along with Tyler asked if Kehaar will be able to teach Scree to fly.

"Yea... sure we will." Kehaar than agreed.

"Oh, you are the limit Pipkin. You really are." Bigwig sighed, until he gave up and sat down. "Get on with it than."

* * *

After the intervention, Kehaar started to teach Scree the basics of flying such as preparing to take off. Everyone was watching Kehaar teaching Scree. Bigwig turned over to see the beagle was lying down next to him.

"Uhh... Andrew?"

"Yes."

"How on Earth did you found that dog?" Bigwig asked.

"Actually, Bigwig, he found me. I was going for a walk until he came out of the bushes." I answered.

"You better have a good luck of him not being spotted by Hazel and this dog will be off before you know it."

"Oh come on, he didn't mean to bark at you. It was his first time seeing you. It's natural for a dog to get excited and surprisingly he's trained." I said.

"Really?"

"Dog. Stand up." I commanded Dog to stand up and he did. "Dog, shake." He than lend out his paw, as I reached my hand towards his paw and gave him a shake. "Good boy."

"Impressive. And his name is Dog?" Bigwig was impressed although he questioned from the name "Dog".

"Yep, from John Wayne's Western movie _Big Jake_. The main character named his dog 'Dog'." I explained to him.

"I see."

"Dog, gave him a gentle kiss." I commanded the dog.

"A kiss?" before he could say anything else. Bigwig was than given a puppy kiss from the beagle. "Alright, alright, alright! That's enough!" Pipkin and his Junior _Owsla_ , Tyler, and even Hannah let out a laugh from him being kissed by a dog.

"He likes." I told Bigwig, before I turned towards Dog and petted him. "You like Bigwig, don't you? You like him?"

"Right, just don't have me catch him doing it again in front of everybody." Bigwig cleaned his mane and face from the wet kisses.

I chuckled. "That was a good kiss, Dog. Good boy." I scratched his ears gently, before resuming to watch Kehaar teaching Scree.

"Like that. You see..." Kehaar showed Scree how to set the wings by following the same direction and started to flap slowly.

"Ow!" Bigwig felt a pinch from Hannah, who she than climbed on top of him after the puppy kisses. "Watch the claws."

"Sorry, hawks make me tense." Hannah apologized.

"Feel the wind in your wings." Kehaar instructed Scree, before he took off and glide. Scree than flapped his wings and took off for a short time for a glide. He than landed next to Kehaar after the short glide.

"Wow... beautiful!" Kehaar praised. "You make Kehaar proud!"

Everyone cheered for Scree's accomplishment for the first steps of flying. Kehaar started to make a suggestion for Scree to do the real flight. Tyler helped to find a place near towards where he was trained by Campion. We went for a short walk until we found a open field. Keehar took Scree to the very top edge of the hill.

"Listen to the wind, feel like it tells you. We go together." Kehaar instructed Scree. "Ready... go!" Scree started to do his take off basic, as he started to run down the hill with Kehaar, until Scree got his bearings and took off.

"Come on, Scree!" Pipkin cheered. Scree than glide, until he took it up to the sky and started to fly.

"You got it, kid! You got it!" Kehaar cheered.

Pipkin, Tyler and the kittens cheered for Scree that he's flying. It was my first time to see a baby hawk learned to fly, unfortunately wished that his mother would seen it and taught him. She probably been proud of him. However, he got a another teacher who is a seagull and flew throughout his life. Scree turned over to see us waving at him, while Dog started to run down the hill bark at Scree, as if he was wanting to reach up there too.

 _Tyler!_ We heard someone calling for him, as we looked down the hill to see Campion waving at the bottom of the hill. Everyone waved at Campion for greeting.

"Dog, come, let's go home!" I called for Dog, and he hurried back up the hill.

"Well... I guess I have to go I guess." Tyler said. "Breaks over."

"Oh Tyler, please stay." Gilia pleaded.

"I want to, but I have to leave for training. You understand it." Tyler wanted to, but told her the reason. "I'll be sure for me and Campion to return home soon. I promise."

Gilia let a tear fell from her eye. "Alright, but please come home in one piece after your training."

"I promise." Tyler promised once again, before they gave each other a kiss.

"Alright, you lots. Let them be." Bigwig wanted to give Tyler and Gilia space, as we said our goodbyes. Everyone else followed Bigwig, as did I while looking back at them. It wasn't clear what they said, as I was further away. However, I'm sure they were saying their "love yous" and promising each other to be safe. Tyler gave her a nuzzle, before hopping down the hill to join Campion to continue his training. Gilia came towards me a little down.

"At least you saw him and he'll come home one day. Just believe it." I comforted her.

"I'm sure it'll be long though." Gilia cleaned her tears.

"I know, but just think when he comes back you two will be together again." I added with a smile. She than smiled back, even Dog came by and gave her a gentle kiss that made her giggle. "Alright, just one time Dog. We better join back with Bigwig and the others."

* * *

We hurried back to join Bigwig and the rest of the Junior _Owsla_ , as we're heading back to Watership Down.

"Do you suppose all our patrols will be this interesting?" Mallow questioned.

"It might be." I said.

"Wait until we tell Mother and Father we taught a hawk know how to fly!" Gilia became excited and thrilled about the experience.

"Uhhh, maybe we'll keep this to ourselves." Bigwig suggested to keep as a secret.

"Father says, 'keeping secrets hurts the truth'." Gilia remembered her father saying about lying and keeping secrets.

"True, but either way he would eventually find out about it." I added.

"What about your 'Dog'?" Bigwig questioned me.

"Well, I'll find him a spot away from the burrow, perhaps near the caverns." I thought. Dog began to sniff and found scent.

"Andrew, what's he doing?" Bigwig asked me.

I turned to see what Dog was sniffing, until I saw Hazel and Primrose are heading towards our direction. He than let out a bark and hurried off after them. "Oh boy, Dog heel!"

Hazel and Primrose gasped and hurried off, while Dog playfully chases after them. "Andrew, try to get that dog out of here!" Hazel shouted.

"He won't bite his name is Dog!" I hurried after Dog. "Dog heel!" I managed to keep up his dog.

"Catch him!" Bigwig shouted, as he hurried to my aid.

Primrose managed to hide in the tree where Dog wouldn't go after her, before he turned towards Hazel chases. "Don't let him hurt Hazel!"

"Come, Dog, come!" I commanded him.

Dog was about short inches behind Hazel, until Hazel tripped over a twig and feel on his back. Dog managed to get up close to Hazel, as Primrose came out and hurried and became fearful what the beagle would do next. We all gasped in horror.

"No!" I shouted at Dog.

I feared that he might grabbed Hazel, but instead, he licks Hazel's right leg where he got caught with the twig, before giving him puppy kisses to the face. Hazel cleaned his face, while breathing in and out from the thrill of being chased by a dog.

"Dog, come!" Dog got off of Hazel and came towards me. "Dog, sit!" He followed my instructions and stayed there. "Sorry Hazel. He didn't mean it."

"Uh Hazel, you could get up now." Bigwig told him.

"You two were supposed to be watching out for them! And you two don't even see a dog attacking us!" Hazel scolded.

"Come on, now Hazel. Dog just got excited and it was the first time seeing you and Primrose. He didn't mean to cause any trouble." I told him.

"Try to have him leave." Primrose dusted herself off, before picking up Hazel.

"He was a stray dog, when I encountered him." I told her.

"A stray?" Hazel questioned me.

"When he found me. He was only a stray pup all alone. He doesn't even have a owner any more." I explained to him.

"Why Andrew, that dog could have tear Primrose and I to shreds."

"I could assure you he won't do it again and he's trained. Besides he needs a place to stay." I said.

"The farm where Duster lives?" he asked.

"Actually our warren." I answered.

"Oh no, I'm sorry Andrew, he can't live in our warren and he'll eventually grow tall."

"I can't leave him and besides if I shooed him, he'll find his way back to me." I said.

"Oh great _Frith_." Hazel shook his head with his paw slapped on the head in disapprove.

"So in case I go back to my world, I'll could probably adopt him or find his original owner." I said.

"You mean didn't get him or he's not yours?!" Bigwig questioned.

I shook my head. "He's not my dog."

The trio looked at each other and than looked at the beagle, as he gave me a puppy kiss. Then they shook their heads and chuckled. We than heard a screeched that we turned around to see Scree above us.

"Hawk, take cover!" Hazel ordered, in time, I stopped him by restraining him.

"Hazel, he won't hurt them! I promise."

"How could you say that?! There's a hawk about to attack us!" Hazel exclaimed.

"Andrew's right, Scree won't hurt us Hazel." Pipkin came towards us, while the kittens came back with their mother. We looked back to see Scree circling around us in mid air.

"Friend, Kehaar friend! All long-ears friend! Always! Scree!" Scree shouted, as he continues to fly.

"Notice he didn't say anything about mice." Hannah upset from Scree not saying about her.

"Mice friend! Always!" Scree shouted that surprised her.

"What about now?" I questioned her.

"Never mind then." Hannah chuckled.

"I don't believe it." Hazel shook his head in disbelief.

"Why! Ah! There's no end to 'The Wonders of Watership Down' is there." Bigwig exclaimed.

"My son, the hawk and make good father no?" Keehar close to tears.

"You have a great father personality, Kehaar. Teaching a baby hawk to fly." I told him.

"You got children's! Everybody got children's!" Kehaar exclaimed.

"Kehaar, not everyone. Just Hazel and Primrose mostly have children. Bigwig of course looking after Pipkin." I told Kehaar.

"I'm not his father." Bigwig said.

"You're his father in a sort of way, by looking after him and teaching him how to be a good captain one day."

"What about you and Sandy?" he asked.

"No, we... we're not married, but in a relationship though." I said.

"What about your kids, hm?" Kehaar questioned me.

"Kehaar, Amy, Allison, and Olivia are my sisters."

"Oh. Now, it's Kehaar's turn!" Kehaar than exclaimed.

"He's off again." Hannah stated.

"I don't think he is, Hannah. I believe he really meant it." I disagreed with her.

"Kehaar go now! Find gal who loves me. Find mother for our childrens. Be back sometime." Kehaar stated, that shocked Hannah to find out he wasn't lying, when he picked her up and gave her a hug. "Bye." He than took off and flew away from us.

"That was rather sudden, wasn't it?" Hazel wondered.

"Gulls. No one understanding them." Bigwig sighed, as we started to began our journey for home.

"As long he comes back." Hannah started to get emotional.

"I'm sure he will. With or without. We may never know." I told her.

"Imagine though, a hawk that's a friend to all rabbits. Someday, Scree might help out some rabbit we've never met." Hazel still couldn't let go about Scree.

"'All good things to those who wait.'" I quoted Hannibal Lectar's quote from _Silence of the Lambs_.

Hazel than turned towards Pipkin. "Well done Pipkin. Well done."

"Although if I don't mind asking, Pipkin... how did you win the challenge?" I asked him.

Pipkin and the Junior _Owsla_ giggled, as he started to tell his story. "Drumlin pulled the real stones underground and the ones we been searching for, as you seen they're substitutes."

"Oh... oh! Now I guess I got the bigger picture." I fully understand on what he planned all along during the challenge.

"And now Andrew, if that Dog of yours is staying, you need to find somewhere he could sleep." Hazel said.

"There's... room in my bed." I joked.

"Outside." he stated.

"Oh come on, perhaps near the caverns or at least near the warren's entrance at least. That's not fair, he's only a pup." I said.

"'The world isn't fair', Andrew." Pipkin quoted.

I turned towards Hazel, he let out a chuckle. "I guess he got that from me."

"You know Hazel, can I have word with you?" We stopped, as I started to walk towards him.

"Why?" he questioned, as he began stepping back from me.

"Just come here."

"Nope..." he said, before he dashed off.

"GET HIM!" I shouted to Dog, as he playful began going after Hazel.

"Oh come now! Why don't you go after me, instead sending the dog do the work!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, I thought you said 'the world isn't fair'. Didn't you?" I smirked.

"Yes, but I mean..." he spoke, before he continued to run, as Dog playfully chases after him as they approach near towards the down. Everyone watches, as we laughed, while Primrose shook her head.

"So Andrew, when would Dog stop chasing him?" Pipkin asked.

"Unfortunately, until Hazel does." I chuckled, while rubbing my eyes, while we continued to watch the two going after each other, until Dog pounced on him and gave him more puppy kisses.

 _To Be Continued..._


	98. Episode 30 The Secret of Redstone Part 1

The Secret of Redstone Part 1

This morning, Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, Primrose, Blackberry, Pipkin, myself and the newest member of the _Owsla_ Dog were on our way to visit Redstone Warren. Since our victory at _Efrafa_ , we didn't even leave our warren, except for patrols and searching for missing _Efrafans_. However, by this point by now we ended our search because we know our biggest threat has returned... Woundwart. Although we haven't seen him alive, but Fiver had a vision of Woundwart, especially describing him as the "One eyed evil". We now try to keep our precautions in were spotted by Woundwart or any loyalists to him, such as Vervain if he ever dares to show himself to Woundwart.

During our patrol, Dog was helpful (not because he was the first dog in the _Owsla_ ), by sniffing and finding scents also quicker because he is a Beagle. For one instance, he sniffed until he made a howl that we kept ourselves hidden, except myself to see what Dog found. It only turned out it was a small green frog. Dog turned towards me and tilted his head, before the frog jumped into the canal.

"You guys could come out now." I sighed.

Everyone else was coming out of the bushes. "What did he find?" Hazel asked.

"Just a frog." I said with disappointment, as Dog whimpered while petting him.

"Next thing he'll do is hunt for other animals, eventually." Bigwig said.

"Not if he was trained by a hunter." I rebuttal-ed.

 _Bang!_ A gunshot rang out that made all of us jump into anxiety. Dog whimpered that I started to comfort him, by petting. Another gunshot rang out that it was close that a hunter could find us eventually.

"MOVE!" Hazel ordered us that we started to follow him.

We continued to run from the woods, until we reached towards a canal that we began to follow the river. I looked behind Dog to see a middle-aged hunter with a beard with his hunting rifle, traps, and all other hunting equipment he has with him that he's carrying. It was no point that I should try to stop him, but to run. Like I always seen in movies, or even in life lessons from shootings: if someone fired a weapon, you run, don't engage unless it's last resort. I learned about the three letters in case of an active shooter: A. Avoid the shooter, D. Deny location, and finally the last D. for defending yourself. It was basically what the rabbits learned throughout their life that it was no different.

"Scatter! We'll join up in Redstone Warren!" Hazel told us to separate, as Primrose follows.

Everyone else followed Bigwig, until he and Fiver tagged along. It was just me, Dog, Blackberry, and Pipkin by the time Bigwig and Fiver split up. We finally made towards a clearing that we spotted Redstone down the hill. The four of us managed to take a deep breath from all the running.

"That was horrible, Blackberry. Why's-"

Dog began to growl, as Blackberry hushed Pipkin by covering his mouth. "What is boy?" Dog continued to growl, as he got a scent. Blackberry spotted a fox that was only a few meters away.

"Hide." she told us. We hide behind a bush and remained silent, as the fox came by in front of us. It growled ferociously that Dog wanted to attack the fox, but I managed to restrain him from going after him. A gunshot rang that made the fox leave and disappeared. "Hunters, foxes, what's happened to Redstone?"

"None of that should have happened. It was peacefully from our previous visit before." I recalled.

Someone was coming close, until Hazel and Primrose spotted the four of us. "Everyone alright?" He asked, while gasping.

"Just a little terrified." Pipkin shivered a bit, but he maintains his bravery.

"I'm alright." Blackberry answered.

"Andrew?" Hazel asked me.

I was shivering quite a bit. "I'm fine... just never thought I was going to get shot at by a hunter."

"We were before, remember?" Hazel mentioned seasons ago that he saved my life from the farmer, as we raided the farm to free Tyler and Clover.

"Yeah I remember." I said, as the four of us came out of the bush.

"Did you see the fox, Hazel?" Pipkin asked.

Hazel shook his head, as Bigwig and Fiver finding us and regrouped. "Oh, nearly a nasty accident there." Bigwig gasping.

"Stay sharp, til we found out what's going on around here." Hazel advised us. We began to go downhill to see Redstone still have the stones Red, but the grass is nearly gone, as more red dirt shows. Apparently, it was starting to become a wasteland. Two rabbits were outside and they were Hickory and Marigold.

"Hazel, Primrose, welcome back to Redstone Warren. We missed you." Marigold greeted us.

"Good thing everything else misses too." Bigwig said.

"What's happened here Marigold?" Primrose asked.

Hickory and Marigold sighed in bit of despair, as if they haven't got much happiness for a while, since their kittens were born. "Not the same contented, peaceful warren you remember, Primrose." Marigold answered.

"Redstone fallen on hard times." Hickory added.

"Hey, what happened to your Kiefer Sutherland voice that I remembered?" I asked.

"Andrew." Hazel spoke.

"No it's fine. I'm just exhausted from what's been happening here." he answered.

"I guess you both really took a toll on yourselves. It's like wasteland, even you can't find a single clover here." I figured.

"Too right. Let's go below, it's not safe up here." Hickory suggested to go under, as he began to discuss with us about the hardships of Redstone. Before I followed, I instructed Dog to stay put and hidden, as well keeping an lookout for anything. He stated that food became scarce for the rabbits to live here, without any grown food near the woods or even a single clover. Hunters stalk around the woods and fields, more likely to catch animals and even rabbits.

"That's pretty much what has happened here."

"We know, we had a go at us." Bigwig mentioned.

"A nasty one too." I added.

"And _elil_ have come back. They're everywhere lately." Marigold continued.

"Still, we're better off here, than going back to The Warren of Shining Wires." Hickory stated.

"Go figure, I'm pretty sure you guys never wanted to go back. Even your fellow rabbits, who tagged along with you." I said.

* * *

After we got settled in at Redstone, all the rest of the rabbits gathered for the evening meal, as they said a blessing for restoring the warren and strength for the hard times. We ate very little, as we mostly let the rabbits from Redstone feasted on, because they probably needed more than we do. Primrose decided to share a story of our recent victory at _Efrafa_. Although, I wasn't much into sharing the full details that I told her, but she thought it was important to share with Redstone about our enemy's defeat. At that point, I decided to let her tell the story to everyone and the Redstone rabbits became bit appalled about the war, but the victory they were amazed on we kept our bravery against all odds.

"...and as we fought tooth and claw. The sky is opened and lightening woke the world. The twisted tree was torn flaming from the Earth, with a roar that shook the stars..." As Primrose continued to tell the story, I began to have flashbacks from our defense of Watership Down. Woundwart and his army attacking us in the caverns. I remember receiving claw marks and bites that it doesn't take away the toll from defending our home, even the cost of myself that I saved Campion's life. Another flashback came that I was filled with vengeance that I wanted to battle Woundwart and Vervain from Vervain brutally attacking Tyler. Somehow, I began to hear Tyler begging before Vervain unleashes his claws and hearing Tyler's scream. Until the very end, I saw _Efrafa_ collapsing and destroyed. Although the battle has won, but the war is far from over, as Woundwart still lives as well as Vervain.

"Something wrong, Andrew?" Hazel asked, as it was muffled from the sounds of flashbacks continue to haunt me. "Andrew."

I gasped and woke back into reality with a pat on the back from Hazel. "Are you alright, brother?"

"Yeah... I'm fine. Sort of." I answered.

"It's getting dark soon, we'll be heading for home." he said.

"Alright." I nodded my head, as I followed Hazel, as everyone else was outside, scouting ahead to see any _elil_ nearby.

"Luckily there's none for now, thanks to your Dog." Bigwig stated.

"Dog?!" Hickory became startled.

"Dog is with, but he's a friend, right boy?" I assured Hickory, even Dog let out a gentle bark.

"I think I know what you'll say, but-"

"You're going to invite us to leave Redstone and come with you." Marigold figured what Hazel was about to say.

"Yes, well what with 'man', _elil_ , and bad food, and-"

"Thank you Hazel." Marigold understood the circumstances. "But no, if rabbits quit they're warrens every time things got tough, they'd never stop running."

"Well said." Hazel commended.

"Hear, hear." I agreed. "Just have to go through the hardship to see the good in the end."

"If there's anything we could do, just ask." Hazel remained opened to them for offering help.

"All clear." Bigwig said, as an owl flew away in the night sky. Before I followed everyone else, I was stopped by Hickory and Marigold.

"Andrew, are you alright? You didn't say much about the battle you faced in _Efrafa_." she spoke.

"Yeah it's true. Sometimes it's not important to say to a crowd, except saying to someone you know." I said.

"I understand you been through a lot. Even saving Campion's life which that is very admirable." Hickory added.

I shook my head. "It was 'sheer dumb luck' that I survived."

"Maybe not. You should know that something from beyond have restored your life." Marigold disagreed.

I sighed. "Maybe and perhaps. Even if you survived a battle, it'll still carry with you when you're away from the war-front or even staying at home." I said, as the two were bit concerned, but I rather not have them to worry about me, as they have problems on their own. "Well... I'll see you around."

"Take care and you fought very bravely as the others did at _Efrafa_. We congratulate you as well." Hickory said, as I headed out to rejoin with Hazel and the others.

I began to make my way back, before I heard a weasel nearby that I remained hidden. At first, he started to make his way towards me, as I opened my blade for another weasel fight. However, the weasel turned away and faced towards Redstone Warren and found scent.

"Long ears or man..." the weasel evilly said, as I quietly sneaked away and not looking back.

I climbed up the hill and hurried as fast as I can to run, until I stopped to find rabbit tracks. I decided to investigate the tracks, by touching them until I had a blur vision to see it was Campion and Tyler running, as if they were being chased by someone or something. I came back as I gasped, as if it was a sign. They came by here, but it was probably only for a short time, before leaving the woods. My heart started to freeze and fear was making me shiver that it maybe death surrounding me.

 _Run if you want to live..._ I than heard a voice that no one is there. _Run... before you are caught._

Without thinking twice, I dashed away from the woods and try to remember where Blackberry, Pipkin, Dog, and I came from, when we were chased by the hunter. I ran and ran without looking back, as if someone or something was probably going to chase me.

 _Look out... look out..._ the voices started to sing _Pink Elephants on Parade_. That it was the time, that I became scared and frightened that I ran quicker that not a single star or the moon shine the light in the dark.

"STOP IT!" I screamed, as I didn't want to hear the voices that was following me. "SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!"

 _Elil will catch..._ I started to become tired but I refused to give as I was determined to find my way back to the others. I than jumped from the hill to find myself at the canal and I was on the ground from the jump.

 _Andrew... it's time..._ I began to breath quickly from fear. I than looked over above me that I saw a black rabbit with black eyes and with him, was _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_.

"You must fight your fears..." _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_ spoke. The blacker rabbit with black eyes began to hop towards and started to make a death rattle. Overcome from fear, as if Kayako Saeki is crawling to her victim to rattle you to death, I scooted away from the rabbit until I got back up on my feet that I resume running. I looked back to see the blacker rabbit started to hop faster, as it evilly grinned, as if he's Death. I decided to not look back anymore and continue running, as I got onto the bridge. I made a short glance to see the Blacker Rabbit continued to grinned, as it jumped and made a long jump, as it became to reach closer to me that I was out of breath and my mouth was sealed that I couldn't scream for help, until it tackled me and continued to grin, as it got close to my face, as I continued to scream for dear life for help, as if I was alone... no one was there to protect or even came to help me...

 _To Be Continued..._


	99. Episode 30 The Secret of Redstone Part 2

The Secret of Redstone Part 2

 _Andrew... Andrew..._

A gentle voice, unlike _The Black Rabbit of Inle's_ voice calling me. I continued to shake myself as if I was wanting to leave a dream, as The Blacker Rabbit continued to gave me the devilish grin.

 _Andrew!_

The gentle voice came back, as someone is there and urging me to wake up. I couldn't speak or even move my mouth. My only option was to close my eyes, but it was still wide opened.

 _Andrew... fight your fears... look the other way!_

The gentle voice advised me to attempt to fight my fears, although my fear has already in my core. The only option is to turn away. The Blacker Rabbit started to transform into a familiar face... The Blacker Rabbit was shaped in the form of Woundwart. As his appearances never changed with his scars, one red eye and the other eye whiter than the "Old Man's Eye" from _The Tell Tale Heart_.

"You'll lose Hazel, the whole warren, and your way home." Woundwart with a villainous grin.

 _Fight it Andrew... fight that fear._

The gentle voice continued to encourage me once more. "After you watch Hazel die and the warren, you'll be next." Woundwart spoke to nullify the gentle voice.

 _You can do it... for your mother, your fathers, your sisters, your brother, and your family..._

The gentle voice soon faded that I could no longer hear it. I muffled my shut mouth in pleading for the gentle voice to leave. It was until Woundwart started to laugh that I have no guardian angel's voice to protect and advice me.

 _It's me Andrew... Hazel. You're never alone._

The gentle voice revealed to be Hazel... supposedly my guardian angel. The warm feeling of his encouragement strength me, as I began to move my mouth, as I'm trying to speak, even I try to blank.

"No one loves you, not even misses you in your world. You always been alone. You think you're never alone in our world. Not as soon you'll be returning home soon." Woundwart taunted me.

The fire began to spark until it engulfed into a powerful flame that I was able to control myself again. "ENOUGH! I'M NEVER ALONE OR WILL BE, WOUNDWART! YOU'RE ONLY TORMENTING AND DESTROYING OTHER WARRENS, BECAUSE YOUR HOME WAS DESTROYED! IT NEVER GAVE YOU EXCUSE TO JUSTIFY BY DESTROYING ANOTHER WARREN OR EVEN DESTROYING HAZEL'S WARREN!"

Woundwart became frightened that moved back away from me, until he transformed back into The Blacker Rabbit with black eyes in attempt to unnerve me.

"AND YOU'RE NOT A REAL BLACKER RABBIT! YOU'RE ONLY JUST MADE BY SATAN AND HIS DEMONS TO FRIGHTEN ME AND LOSE MYSELF! I'M NO LONGER FRIGHTENED BY YOU."

The Blacker Rabbit unleashed his claws and teeth, as it became more aggressive than before. It than began to charge at me.

"I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU!"

The Blacker Rabbit began it's pounce, as it unleashed it's ferocious claws and teeth, as I was going to die. At the moment it pounced on me, everything went black...

* * *

 _Andrew... Andrew... Andrew!_

I gasped, as if I was dreaming. My eye sight became clear after a few blinks.

"Andrew?"

I heard a voice, as I turned over to see Hazel was by my side. Bigwig was there just not far from where I am.

"Looks like your finally awake." Bigwig said.

"What happened?" I asked.

"After we left Redstone, we found footprints that belonged to Campion's and Tyler's." Bigwig answered.

"However, we may have thought it could have been _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_." Hazel added.

I looked around to see they were the only ones here. "Where's everyone else?"

"After we noticed you were missing, everyone else went back home." Hazel answered, before he sighed. "...and Blackberry is missing."

"What? Where did she go?" I became a little panicked.

"Unfortunately, we don't know, we started our search for her." Bigwig answered.

"Before we heard your scream that we later found you unconscious. Apparently, you may have been attacked by _elil_." Hazel continued.

"I remember seeing a weasel tracking me, before turning towards Redstone." I answered, until it came out of my mouth that I let them into danger. "Oh no... the weasel... invading Redstone! I shouldn't run away, until I came across with Campion's and Tyler's paw-prints. I than started to hear voices, as if it was _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_."

"You murmured about him, while you were unconscious." Hazel added.

"Is it a dream?"

Hazel turned away, before looking back towards me. "I'm not sure, only you seen it."

"Oh... comes to the worst, _The Black Rabbit's_ voice started to follow me that I started to run for my life. Until I came back towards the canal, he was standing up hill with another black rabbit."

"Another?" Bigwig sat up in surprise.

"What did he look like?" Hazel asked, as he placed his paw on my shoulder.

I shivered from the fright. "It was more blacker than _The Black Rabbit_. It's fur was fully black as it's eyes. It started to chase me, until I reached over the bridge... I became shaken that a tear fell as I stammered... "It was the horrible nightmare or vision yet. The Blacker Rabbit had my mouth sealed, my eyes widened, I couldn't be able to defend myself... it was as if I was... oh God."

Hazel had me close to him in embrace. "There... there."

"It than became Woundwart that I couldn't be able to free myself. He began taunting me endlessly, as I tried to call for help... no one came." I stammered in tears, as I wrapped my arms around Hazel.

"It's over, he won't hurt you." Hazel tried to calm me.

"No... it won't be over since we heard he's alive. He'll never stop hunting us down."

"Than what happened?" Bigwig asked. "How did you wake up?"

"I heard a voice... a gentleness voice that it started to comfort me, as Woundwart talked me down." I answered. "The voice encouraged me to face my fears and look the other way. He than told me to do it for my family. And the voice..." I than turned over to Hazel. "...the voice belonged to you."

Hazel warmly smiled. "Why does it always have to be him?" Bigwig smirked, while he rolled his eyes, not from rudeness but annoyance.

"Because..." I spoke, as I tried to put the words together. "...because you were the most kindest soul that any rabbit or any man I know."

Hazel than cleared his throat, as he smirked. "Will besides Jesus Christ though, Christ will always be the kindest and most trustworthy God than any other being of course."

"I thought you'll eventually say it." Hazel spoke.

I chuckled. "What I meant to say is that you're the most kindest rabbit that anyone could trout here. You're a wonderful father figure to Fiver and of course your children, and a great leader. It seems like you were the only friend that I know, who showed me much kindness unlike back at home. Everyone will fight or be divisive that I couldn't be able to speak with anyone any more. Even sometimes my own family. Sometimes I guess I wish I belonged somewhere I felt more belong... like with you guys."

"Well said, mate." Bigwig complimented.

"Very well said. Although you should never avoid your own kind, especially your family. They care about you, even at this point in time right now." Hazel spoke.

* * *

I managed to let go of Hazel from the hug, after my tears were gone, until I realized that I was covered in my blankets and had a pillow to lay on. I looked at them and wondered how they were putted out.

"We had to warm you though, after your nasty attack." Hazel admitted that he and Bigwig helped me pull out my pillow and blankets.

"It was your idea." Bigwig said.

"Thanks to the both of you either way." I thanked them. "I think I remembered that I mentioned there were some family traits in you guys."

"Really? I haven't recalled one bit." Hazel couldn't remember.

"Neither did I." Bigwig spoke.

"Well, it seems like Hazel is more of my parents, perhaps more of my fathers traits of bit, even by heart at times like my mother." I said.

"What a kind thing to say." Hazel felt touched.

"Yeah and what about me? More like the other side to your family." Bigwig said, as if he was going to be different.

"Actually, you're more like my brother..." I said.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You have my older brother's personality. Sometimes he could be abrasive and be an ass sometimes." I answered.

"Hey!" Bigwig exclaimed, while Hazel laughed a bit.

"Not like it's bad! But I also mean caring at the same time like you wanted what's best. Even you two connect another way, by serving."

"He served in a _Owsla_." Bigwig thought.

"Like that yes, but in the army. Some of my relatives have served in military: my brother, my stepfather of course, and few others."

"I remember you said your stepfather was a Captain in... what's it called?" Bigwig tried to remember the day that I nearly threaten to kill him from his insults.

"In the Coast Guard. By now he's back home, but still serving though."

"What about your brother?" Hazel asked.

"My brother...ah. He served in the United States Army. He served about three to four long years, even I started to miss him, when he first got deployed. He was sent to Kuwait, before send over to Afghanistan I think or Iraq. I couldn't remember his second deployment, but it was more likely certain that he was Afghanistan after Kuwait."

"Did he ever had to fought?" Bigwig asked.

I nodded my head. "Not like a big war or battle, but you could say he fought against terror. One day I remembered, when I visited Mom's, he asked me to go over his essay. Although I'm a college man, but not fully literate in essays. I looked over to check on typos or basic grammar errors. That was until I read one of his darkest moments that he had to go through."

"What was it?" he asked.

I sighed. "I can't fully remember, but he recalled that he ended up defending his unit from being attacked or motor fire. He was using his firing stick or in my terms a fifty cal. He successfully took out one or two of the motor crews, as my brother's unit was under fire... I can't go on further. It's too much to detail that my brother only knows that sometimes, it's best not to bring it up."

"I understand." Bigwig understood.

"It was like the moment he still goes through, PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I keep hearing flashbacks or seeing things about our battle against Woundwart and his army at Watership Down's caverns and of course at _Efrafa_."

"And that's why you didn't want Primrose to share the story? You were a bit uncomfortable, when I looked at you." Hazel asked.

I shook my head in reply. "I was a bit, but I didn't hear much the whole thing, because of the flashbacks."

"We all done things that we haven't been proud of when it comes to fighting. Fighting another warren that threatens to destroy our warren. We only done it, so we could protect it, despite it's wrong to fight. However, sometimes you'll have to only as a last resort." Hazel stated.

"Just like how some of my relatives served in the military, some may have fought, but mostly they were doing their duty to protect a country we loved. Just like you guys protecting the things you loved." I said.

"Exactly." Hazel smiled.

"Thanks for the talk you guys. Especially finding me." I thanked them.

"No problem at all." Bigwig lightly smiled, as did Hazel as he nodded his head. "Just don't get left behind again or lost your way."

"I promise." I promised.

"It's best that the three of us get some rest. We'll have to find Blackberry in the morning." Hazel suggested.

"Alrighty than. Hope you two have a goodnight's rest." I said to them.

"You too my ol' son." Bigwig smiled, before he closed his eyes and fell fast asleep.

"And you too, Andrew." Hazel said with his warm smile, before he went to sleep.

I scoot over towards Hazel's soft side to rest by him. As I lie down, I had three blankets on me until I looked at Hazel and Bigwig that they had none. After what they have done for me, it's suiting and best that I return back the favor. I grabbed two blankets that I wasn't going to use and placed the first on Hazel to keep him warm. I than walked over to Bigwig and gave him the second blanket. He than started to snore like my father when he sleeps. I almost laughed, but I quietly giggled without him hearing my giggle. I returned back to my bed, as I wrapped myself in a sleeping bag, as I rested on my pillow and on Hazel. Just moments after I fell asleep, I felt like I was being moved, until I was nuzzled and felt an arm wrapped around me to assume it was Hazel's. I reached my arms out to his arm to his paw and held easily taught, as I felt it touched my heart. A smile was made from my face, as I snuggled in tight and I fell fast asleep once more.

 _To Be Continued..._


	100. Episode 30 The Secret of Redstone Part 3

The Secret of Redstone Part 3

I was gently shaken, as I woke up to see it friendly wake up from Hazel. I was too comfortable that I couldn't be able to get out of bed. However, it was important to find Blackberry, before something worse might have happened to her.

"You slept well?" he asked.

"I did thank you. Hopefully you did as well." I answered.

"Indeed, thank you very much, as well with your blanket." Hazel added as he removed the blanket. "Is that blanket meaningful to you?"

"It originally belonged to my Grandmother from my father's side. I was once told that she made, until my mother told me that it was from Wal-Mart and she had that blanket though." I said.

"Just like where you worked." he said.

"That's right." I than looked over at Bigwig with another blanket and he's sleeping like baby. "Funny as it seems, his snore probably faded after giving him a blanket."

"It's best that we wake him up as well." Hazel suggested. We than went over to sleeping Bigwig, as Hazel gently shook him with his foot.

"Bigwig, Blackberry is still not back." Hazel said, as he waken Bigwig. "It's time to go looking for her."

"We should've gone last night while her trail was fresh." Bigwig said, as he stretched and shook himself to be fully awake. He than noticed the blanket I gave him fell off of him. "What's this?"

"I gave a blanket to you last night, while you slept. As I did with Hazel." I answered.

Bigwig looked at the blanket, before looking back at me. "Why are you doing this?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Just like Hazel, you may have been comfortable with a blanket, because nights could become cold."

"Uhhhmm... thanks. Thank you." Bigwig stammered, as he was out of words.

"Well, I guess we better go find Blackberry." I said.

We left our spot and arrived at the bridge. I started to slightly remember the dream I had, that The Blacker Rabbit/Woundwart attacked me. I could still picture the dream... or maybe a vision. I couldn't tell if it was real or dream.

"Back to cover!" Hazel gasped, with Bigwig followed him. I didn't know why, until I saw the same hunter from yesterday coming back to go on about hunting. Apparently, the hunter is starting to set a trap, either a simple trap or even a snare.

"Filthy trap setter! Sometimes I wish I was a dog and I'll love to take a nip of 'man' just once." Bigwig disdained of dislike of humans once more, while the three of us hid behind a bush. "I'm sorry Andrew."

"It's quite alright, no offense taken. However, in life as a hunter... they hunt for three reasons: survival, meat, and of course game or fur." I stated.

A whistle was coming not far from here. We looked to see a police or a constable riding on a red bike down the trail. It may have alarmed the hunter that he stopped what he was setting and went behind the tree to keep himself concealed from sight.

"Huh, it seems they don't like each other." Bigwig said.

"An officer!" I exclaimed. I jumped out off the bush and started to wave at him and calling for him. "Sir! Officer! Over here!" I continued to wave and shout for his help, until he was fully out of sight. I became disappointed with a sigh, as Hazel and Bigwig came out of hiding. "Just like at the market, not a single person could hear me."

"Don't give up." Hazel said.

"Andrew, since you may know so much about humans, why does two don't like each other?" Bigwig asked curiously.

"I know for the fact that the officer or the constable was an law enforcement. Probably the hunter was hunting at a protective animal reserve, that animals are safe from hunting." I answered.

"Why do you think they still hunt though?"

"There's not much to say, except what they do or even find animals that are prohibit to hunt at elsewhere. Since the constable is around, the hunter may not get far." I stated, before we continued our search of Blackberry.

* * *

After our sight of the hunter, we try to maintain our distance without coming across with the same hunter. Until we arrived another part of the woods, Bigwig managed to catch Blackberry's scent.

"Anything at all Bigwig?" I asked.

"Blackberry's headed that way..." Bigwig answered, as he inspect a foot print.

"Another find?"

"Yes... but the trouble is, so as man." Bigwig said, as we looked to see human footprint.

"It maybe the same hunter." I figured.

"It's best we continue to follow Blackberry's tracks, before the hunter could probably find her." Hazel suggested. We nodded our heads and continued our search.

Meanwhile, I was listening to music on my phone with my headphones. Odd as it may not be, I was listening _Rocket Man_ by Sir Elton John and thought about myself as if the rabbit's world was another planet (although I'm still on Earth). It was obvious though that I miss home and long to return, but according to the lyrics: I think ... _it's gonna be a long long time_.

"What's with your ears?" Bigwig asked me. However, I was still lost into the music, until he came over and removed my headphones. "Andrew."

"Oh sorry Bigwig. Just listening to music." I apologized.

"With this?" he looked at the headphones.

"Yep, you just put it on your ears and listen to the music." I simply put it. I adjust the headphones, while putting it gently to his ears, as I turned down the volume a bit so it wouldn't without hurting his ears. "Although, your ears as long though, but hopefully you'll be able to hear it though."

"It's fine." he answered, as he continued to listen to the music.

 _It's just my job five days a week_

 _A rocket man, a rocket man_

 _And I think it's gonna be a long long time_  
 _'Till touch down brings me round again to find_  
 _I'm not the man they think I am at home_  
 _Oh no no no I'm a rocket man_  
 _Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone_

"What's Bigwig doing?" Hazel wondered what I was doing with him.

"He's just getting tune into one of the greats." I answered.

"How could anyone not like this..." Bigwig was enjoying the song.

The two of us chuckled, until I removed the headphones. "Who sang that song?" he asked.

"Sir Elton John." I answered. "And the song is called _Rocket Man_."

"Perhaps I need to hear more of those songs you have." he said.

"Sure, it'll probably be at night just outside the warren and under the stars." I thought.

 _Bang_!

A shot rang out once again just like yesterday. The hunter's is at it again with finding his prey. Like I mentioned to Bigwig, if the constable is still around, it may not be long for the hunter be put into justice.

"Do we go towards the 'thunderstick' or away?" Bigwig asked Hazel.

"Blackberry's tracks lead towards it." Hazel answered.

Bigwig sighed. "Right. So we do the sensible thing and run towards the 'thunderstick'." We began to follow the sounds of the rifle shots. "That plan of yours about blundering along as usual."

"What plan?" I questioned.

"Hazel's plan was 'blundering along as usual' from last night, before finding you."

"Is that true?" I than turned over towards Hazel.

"Yes." he acknowledged.

"Well either way... it's coming together nicely." Bigwig than added.

"In a unusual way, but it's original." I than went on.

Shots rang out again, until a few minutes in, it went silent. We than stopped to wonder why the shots stopped.

"It's gone." I said. "However we could still find her."

"I hope so too." Hazel said.

All the sudden we saw a recognizable blue rabbit hopping in the woods. "IT'S HER!"

"Who?" Bigwig questioned.

"It's Blackberry! Come on, before we lose her." I hurried off, as Hazel and Bigwig followed me, until we we're close that I called out to her. She than stopped to see us and we hurried towards her to meet up with her.

"Blackberry, are you alright?" Hazel asked.

"Yes, I'm fine Hazel." she answered, before turning towards me. "Andrew! I thought we lost you."

"I'm fine, thanks to Hazel and Bigwig. It looked like I was out, before I couldn't catch up with you guys. More importantly though, where have you been?"

"I saw Campion and Tyler." she answered.

The three of gasped. "Are they alright?" I asked.

"They are. However, it wasn't the same for them when they left. They continued to help each other train." she continued. "They said they'll be home soon, but don't know when."

"I'm sure they'll come home." I assured her.

"I'll wait as long it takes, even if it takes forever." she than took lead.

The three of us looked at each other in worried, as Bigwig sighed. "Perhaps I could try to help. Have her meet with me outside of the warren."

"What do you have planned?" Hazel asked.

"Something that could help her ease the missing." I answered, as we followed her home, without revealing what I have planned to help her.

* * *

Later in the evening, me and Sandy were outside listening to some country music, while watching the stars. It's been awhile that we managed to have a sometime to ourselves, however I was hoping that Blackberry would be able to join with us tonight.

"I hope she'll come out soon." I became a little worried.

"She'll come out and I know it will work." she assured me.

"I mean I could understand missing someone close or missing someone you love when they're away."

"Have you?" she asked.

"Of course, missing my stepfather when he flies out to meet with his unit in deployment, and/or joining a conference in the east or in Hawaii. And of course my brother during his deployment." I answered.

Hazel and Bigwig came out of the warren with Blackberry and surprisingly Gilia came out too.

"Hello and good evening." Hazel greeted.

"Hey you guys! Gilia, you're coming out too?" I spoke.

"I understand about missing someone for instance Tyler, so I wanted to help Aunt Blackberry since she misses Campion." she answered.

"Why are we all here at this hour?" Blackberry wondered.

"Blackberry... I understand you currently missing Campion, even after seeing him." I started.

She sighed. "It maybe easy that you miss your family, while you're still here."

"Well, I do, but there other times that I miss my family when they're away. It doesn't have to be always about me." I said. "I could relate to a few instances too, when someone is away."

"Really how?" she asked.

"Before meeting you guys, I have family members in the military that they had to be in deployment or having to go to a conference. For example, my stepfather Matthew travels to meet with other officers and units of the Coast Guard in the East Coast of the states and/or in Hawaii. At one point he was deployed to Guantanamo Bay, my mother missed him dearly for the long two years."

"How did she managed to go through it?"

"Just being around with family and constantly reminding herself for sure that he'll be coming home. Another example is my brother joining the army and he's been into service for about three to four years of deployment. Even at times we worried for him when he'll be coming home, because he was sent to a turmoil-ed country."

"Wow... what about you?"

"I just simply listened to songs to comfort me those times, mostly military country songs, like this." I answered, as I put on a song by Lonestar, on my phone.

 _He called her on the road_  
 _From a lonely, cold hotel room_  
 _Just to hear her say I love you one more time_  
 _But when he heard the sound_  
 _Of the kids laughing in the background_  
 _He had to wipe away a tear from his eye_  
 _A little voice came on the phone_  
 _Said, "Daddy when you coming home?"_  
 _He said the first thing that came to his mind_

 _I'm already there_  
 _Take a look around_  
 _I'm the sunshine in your hair_  
 _I'm the shadow on the ground_  
 _I'm the whisper in the wind_  
 _I'm your imaginary friend_  
 _And I know I'm in your prayers_  
 _Oh, I'm already there_

 _She got back on the phone_  
 _Said I really miss you, darling_  
 _Don't worry about the kids-they'll be all right_  
 _Wish I was in your arms_  
 _Lying right there beside you_  
 _But I know that I'll be in your dreams tonight_  
 _And I'll gently kiss your lips_  
 _Touch you with my fingertips_  
 _So turn out the light and close your eyes_

 _I'm already there_  
 _Don't make a sound_  
 _I'm the beat in your heart_  
 _I'm the moonlight shining down_  
 _I'm the whisper in the wind_  
 _And I'll be there until the end_  
 _Can you feel the love that we share?_  
 _Oh, I'm already there_

 _We may be a thousand miles apart_  
 _But I'll be with you wherever you are_

 _I'm already there_  
 _Take a look around_  
 _I'm the sunshine in your hair_  
 _I'm the shadow on the ground_  
 _I'm the whisper in the wind_  
 _And I'll be there until the end_  
 _Can you feel the love that we share?_  
 _Oh, I'm already there_  
 _Oh, I'm already there_

After the song was over, Blackberry was in tears as she thought about Campion, until she wiped them away. "As you could see, Blackberry, he's always with you when you're with him or at times when's away. In time, he and Tyler would be coming home soon and we'll be together again. Especially with you and Campion."

Blackberry took some slow breaths. "You're right. I shouldn't worry to much."

"That's more like, but it's always okay to miss someone you love. It's normal." I said to her.

"Thank you Andrew. Thank you everyone." she thanked us.

"Perhaps we should have a feast tomorrow in thought for Campion and Tyler." Hazel had an excellent idea.

"What a wonderful idea, Father." Gilia cheered.

"Sounds good to me." I agreed. "What about you Blackberry?"

She than nodded her head after thinking about it. "Of course. It'll be a wonderful idea." We all than gave her hug in comfort, until it was interrupted by another song on my phone.

 _She packed my bags last night pre-flight_  
 _Zero hour nine AM_  
 _And I'm gonna be high as a kite by then_  
 _I miss the earth so much I miss my wife_  
 _It's lonely out in space_  
 _On such a timeless flight_

Bigwig started to move his head slightly to the lyrics. "That song again! Oh, just listen to it."

"How about we relax here and forget about the troubles and watch the stars?" I suggested.

"Yes." Hazel nodded.

"Most definitely." Sandy agreed also. We than sat down on the steep grass and watch the clear night skies without a single cloud at sight. The stars shined bright to lighten the night's sky, unlike the dream and vision I had. In a few instances, we caught shooting stars, as I think a soul going to Heaven, as the rabbits think it was _Frith_ visiting the other worlds. Perhaps we may not have much difference at all since space may have different possibilities, however it's best you just believe it.

 _And I think it's gonna be a long long time_  
 _'Till touch down brings me round again to find_  
 _I'm not the man they think I am at home_  
 _Oh no no no I'm a rocket man_  
 _Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone_

 _And I think it's gonna be a long long time_  
 _'Till touch down brings me round again to find_  
 _I'm not the man they think I am at home_  
 _Oh no no no I'm a rocket man_  
 _Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone_

 _Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids_  
 _In fact it's cold as hell_  
 _And there's no one there to raise them if you did_  
 _And all this science I don't understand_  
 _It's just my job five days a week_  
 _A rocket man, a rocket man_

 _And I think it's gonna be a long long time_  
 _'Till touch down brings me round again to find_  
 _I'm not the man they think I am at home_  
 _Oh no no no I'm a rocket man_  
 _Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone_

 _And I think it's gonna be a long long time_  
 _'Till touch down brings me round again to find_  
 _I'm not the man they think I am at home_  
 _Oh no no no I'm a rocket man_  
 _Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone_

 _And I think it's gonna be a long long time_  
 _And I think it's gonna be a long long time_  
 _And I think it's gonna be a long long time_  
 _And I think it's gonna be a long long time_  
 _And I think it's gonna be a long long time_  
 _And I think it's gonna be a long long time_  
 _And I think it's gonna be a long long time_  
 _And I think it's gonna be a long long time_

 _To Be Continued..._


	101. Episode 31: My Fair Gull Prologue

My Fair Gull Prologue

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas for this prologue.

Early in the morning, I was up and came across a bird that I rescued days ago from a broken wing. The bird wanted to repay the debt. I decided to have him sent an message to Mom and Dad, as well with everyone else at the warren. Before I could start, Campion came out of the cave.

"Good morning, Tyler." Campion greeted. "Are you ready for more training?"

"Good morning Campion. Not just yet, I'm just needing a bird to relay a message to everyone else back at home." I greeted back.

"A bird?"

"Not just a bird, Campion, but the first of its kind. I give you... The Message Bird. I got the inspiration from this thing called _Early Man_." I introduced to dub the bird's name as "The Message Bird" that I remembered watching _Early Man_ back at the orphanage.

"Interesting. How does it work?" Campion became curious about "The Message Bird".

"Simple. You speak into its ear. The bird will then mimic everything you say." I told him, as well about to show a demonstration. I cleared throat and started to relay the message to "The Message Bird". _Hey, guys. How are you doing? I for one am having a blast. Campion and I are getting better at our skills... training every day. I hope you guys are alright. And Gilia... I miss you. I hope you stay strong. Mom... Dad... I hope you guys stay strong too. I hope you all stay strong, no matter what. You don't need to worry. Campion and I will be back home on the Down, sooner than you think. In the meantime... like I said... stay strong, no matter what._

After speaking to The Message Bird, the cleared it's throat and started to repeat the message: " _Hey, guys. How are you doing? I for one am having a blast. Campion and I are getting better at our skills... training every day. I hope you guys are alright. And Gilia... I miss you. I hope you stay strong. Mom... Dad... I hope you guys stay strong too. I hope you all stay strong, no matter what. You don't need to worry. Campion and I will be back home on the Down, sooner than you think. In the meantime... like I said... stay strong, no matter what._ Delivering message." And so, the Message Bird flew off to deliver the message, as we watched him fly away.

"Very interesting... will 'The Message Bird' deliver the message to everyone?" Campion asked.

"Indeed he will. We could get in a habit to send message, until we return." I answered. "It'll also lessen the worry for everyone worrying about us: especially Mom, Dad, and Gilia."

"Even for Blackberry." Campion added. "I'm sure she wanted to know that both of us are safe and able to return soon, after we last saw her."

"We made a promise and we'll return... you ready for another training day?" I assured him, as well prepared for a new day of training.

Campion nodded. "Yes, let's get to it."

 _To Be Continued..._


	102. Episode 31: My Fair Gull Part 1

My Fair Gull Part 1

Author's Note: Hopefully, you're all enjoying Season 3 so far, sorry for the long wait, been busy from work and life, as well getting ready to resume college. Also I wish everyone A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!

About day after returning back to Watership Down, Hazel announced that we're going to do a feast in celebration in recognition for Tyler and Campion. It was suiting because Tyler has done enough by protecting us, as he's in the _Owsla_ and also seeking information about Woundwart's movements. And of course Campion with a same reason as Tyler, except he was from _Efrafa_ and Captain of Woundwart's _Owsla_. Everyone was gathering the _flayrah_ from the farm and also other _flayrah_ grass foods like clover. Snowdrop, Gilia, and Mallow even got delicious berries that they found not far from our warren.

"These are lovely berries children." Primrose complimented on their good find.

Hazel even chuckled, however proudly from their finding. "Fit for our heroes feast."

The kittens giggled, as they headed into the warren, as I came back with some apples, in my travel pack, from the orchard. "In compliments from Bark, she offered us some apples for the feast."

"Oh how thoughtful." Primrose stated.

"Yes indeed." Hazel added, before he turned away, as if he was having second thoughts.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing at all. It's just we may get too carried away with this heroes feast. Tyler and Campion aren't here to enjoy this."

"We fought a war, destroyed _Efrafa_ , Kehaar left us, and moons we haven't heard anything from them. We need a celebration." Primrose assured Hazel.

"Primrose is right, just to know they're still among us and they'll be returning home. And of course we could always have another when they return." I agreed and made another suggested another feast for their return.

"Very well than. And you know Andrew, you could always be in part of the recognition during the feast." Hazel offered for my recognition for saving Campion.

"Thank you, but it's not really necessary. Tyler and Campion have done enough. Me, I just help in a certain time of need." I declined politely.

"You're still a hero for us, along with them. Saving Campion's life was a selfless act and commendable." Hazel commended me. The rest of the rabbits came back with more _flayrah_. "Well, everyone's back and we should get started." Before the three of us could head inside, a bird came towards us and landed on the grass with a salute.

"Delivering message!" the bird announced.

"Hmmm... what kind of bird is that?" Hazel wondered.

"Seems to me, it's a bird delivering a message." I figured, as I began waving at it. "What kind of message do you bring?"

The bird remained silent. The three of us looked at each other clueless. The next choice to get the bird's attention was with the snap of my fingers and it became more aware.

" _Hey, guys. How are you doing? I for one am having a blast. Campion and I are getting better at our skills... training every day. I hope you guys are alright. And Gilia... I miss you. I hope you stay strong. Mom... Dad... I hope you guys stay strong too. I hope you all stay strong, no matter what. You don't need to worry. Campion and I will be back home on the Down, sooner than you think. In the meantime... like I said... stay strong, no matter what._ End of message."

"Uh... I guess it's a message bird. Not quite sure where it's from though, but at least it provided on how Campion and Tyler are doing." I summed up. "Probably Tyler knows more about it, unless someone else knows about. One way to find out when he returns of course."

"Delivering message." the message bird said and it flew away.

"Delivering message?! What a minute, that wasn't we're trying to say!" I tried to call back the bird.

"Don't worry, Andrew. We'll just have to learn when it returns." Hazel assured me.

I sighed. "I bet he's going to have a little chat with me, from what I said."

Hazel and Primrose chuckled. "Come, we have to start the feast."

* * *

The three of us headed back inside the warren. From there we all gathered at the Honeycomb, where all the rabbits were present. Hannah sprinkled some scraps for the final touches.

"There, oats." she said.

"How did you find some oats?" I asked.

"Around the farm. Now it's a proper feast."

"Just tell where I could find them, so I could make some oatmeal with that." I chuckled, before the both of us went silent, as Hazel is about to start his speech.

"We're here to celebrate the heroism of Tyler and Campion. Since they left our warren for training, we haven't have much word from them. Until we managed to hear word from them as they still live in this world. They have been training hard and announced they'll return home soon. In the meantime, our hearts are full from their absence from home." Hazel spoke, before we had our moments of silence in prayer.

"God... I know you are always been here with me throughout my trails and struggles. Please Lord, I don't want to die in a rabbit's world, I want to live and return home." I prayed silently, as I was homesick and prayed for strength and for safety in my travels.

Our observance in silence, a seagull flew and landed on the pile of _flayrah_. In everyone's surprise, it was a seagull that we have no idea who it is, until our old friend Kehaar returns.

"KEHAAR RETURNS! With a gull that he loves! She's Gluck." Kehaar greeted and introduced everyone to Gluck, as she continues to eat the _flayrah_.

"She most certainly is." Hawkbit said, before Primrose elbowed him for his rudeness.

"Isn't she not wonderful?" Kehaar questioned us, as he smiled on his newly mate.

Hazel didn't know what to say until he spoke. "Ummm... wonderful."

"Pardon me, if I don't mean to intrude. I must say your food is delicious." Gluck said.

"Well I guess there's a... ummmm... quite a resemblance between you and Kehaar." I first to spoke to her, as she turned towards me.

"Really, we haven't notice." Before she noticed that I was speaking to her, she glanced at me with her eyes widen. Until she shrieked and flee.

"Gluck my love... come back. I told you about my good friend Andrew." Kehaar went after her.

Hazel and I looked at each other with unusual expressions on our faces. "Hazel..."

"Yes Andrew."

"Did you remember I quoted, 'All good things to those who wait.'?" I asked him.

"You did say something about it, yes." he answered.

"I guess Kehaar already came back to us, as well with someone he long waited for." I added.

* * *

In the next morning, while everyone was still asleep. I was with Sandy for another night, at the same time thinking about us and thinking about finding our way home.

"Sandy..." I gently said, as I tried to wake her up.

"Hmmm... good morning. Slept alright?" she woke up.

"I slept okay, what do you think about Gluck?"

"She's nice, very talkative though." she answered.

"Yeah, just like my family. They always like to talk, talk, and talk." I recalled. "However, she's very nice though."

"That's not your real question right?"

I sighed and took a deep breath. "Not really, but my real question is, how do you think about finding our way home?"

"Same time, or since my grandfather passed, I felt more alone than ever. If I ever return home, no one will care about my return."

"I doubt that. Mostly they will be in grief over your grandfather, yes. However, they'll be thrilled to see you alive and you're alright." I assured her.

"What about you?" she asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know. Probably the same assumption. Being comforted and assured that I was alright, before going back to our normal lives."

"Like my family too. However, since I've been on my own quite sometime, it won't matter."

"You're not alone. I'll be there by your side." I held onto her hand. "I won't let you go."

"You promise?" she wanted me to promise.

"I promise." I smiled back. We started to have our lips touch each other for a kiss. All the sudden, it was interrupted from a shrieking noise.

 _Kehaar! KEHAAR!_ _If we don't get to the garbage soon, the good stuff will be gone._ Gluck's voice called out for Kehaar.

"In a early time like this." I said, as I got up and dressed to see what was happening. I hurried through the halls, until I got towards the warren's entrance to see Gluck and Kehaar with each other, as they're about to take off for some breakfast.

"Hey, Kehaar!" I heard a voice to see Hannah was calling out to him. "You're not off without me are you?"

"Hannah... I think Kehaar is intended by now to be with Gluck."

"I don't believe it!" she was shocked to hear what I said to her.

"Because they're in love, whenever someone is in love with one another, they intend to distance with everyone quite a bit to be with each other." I gave her an advice.

We than saw Kehaar flying down towards us, as he kept himself in the air. "Sorry my little Hannah. I go with Gluck. Love runs my days now!" he spoke, before joining with Gluck. Hannah waved to say goodbye, although they'll be coming back after their breakfast garbage run.

"What was that dreadful racket?!" Hazel came out of the warren and questioned us.

"Oh, I guess Gluck woke you up too, huh. She was calling out for Kehaar to go fly for a breakfast run." I told Hazel.

"Huh, sounded like a herd of cats landing on a milk pond." Hawkbit came out of the warren also.

"That was the sound of true love." Hannah added.

Bigwig than came out and yawned, as I presume that he was awoken by Gluck. "Remind me to avoid 'true love' then."

"It's unavoidable in times. If you find someone at love's first sight or met someone that you started to fall in love with." I told him.

"Well it may take a long time for me then." Bigwig added.

"Maybe or maybe not. Who knows. However, Kehaar just got his love and we could do nothing but to congratulate him for it."

 _To Be Continued..._


	103. Episode 31: My Fair Gull Part 2

My Fair Gull Part 2

After the waking incident; Bigwig, the _Owsla_ , and myself went for a short patrol around warren. It was short though, but by far we haven't seen any dangers from Woundwart, but Bigwig advised us to keep finding any signs wherever we go. When we got back from patrol, we started _silflaying_ around the warren. My normal routines during a time like this, I would listen to some country music on my phone as usual. While listening to music, I was looking at family pictures on my phone, even pictures when I was only a infant. Time flew from then and I'm sure time has flown back in my world.

"What you got there?" Bigwig came by, as he was eating some grass.

"Just pictures of family and myself on my phone." I answered, as I showed him.

Bigwig came over, while still chewing. He gazed at the photo that the young infant was me. "That's you?"

"Yep. It's hard to look back and remember some of those times. Although, the pictures always have great memories that I could always remember by."

"Do you actually have real... 'pictures'?" he asked.

"As a matter of fact..." I unzipped my pack to search through it. Until I found a freezer bag that is filled with memories of me and my family when I was only a kid. I started to show him each photo: days in Alaska, Christmas photos, my mother's first glance at me after I was born, and many others.

"Great _Frith_. Do humans really kept them?" Bigwig asked.

"Yes, some kept them in a scrapbook or a photo album." I answered.

"Perhaps you should too." he suggested.

"I kept having bit of thoughts of it, but never got much of a chance." I said. "Sometimes I travel, I usually have them on my phone, but some reason I had them with me. Probably showing Michael some family photos maybe, I wasn't fully sure. They were important to me, as they were from my parents."

I put my photos back in my pack. "Come to think of it, does it always seem time goes fast?"

"It does in a certain way, yes." Bigwig answered.

"Just kind of wish I could slow the good memories to enjoy them, however in every inch of a way time will always speed up."

" _Frith_ controls the time of our lives. It could come to a sudden if our lives are short or could go fast until we become old and we die." Bigwig said.

I nodded. "God does it also. You never know, unless you know The Good Lord will say it's time or the unexpected event that everyone has no control of, could take a life away. I guess it's always best to enjoy the moments we have and keep making new ones."

Bigwig nodded his head and agreed.

"So I said to Tolk, she's an earring gull. Common as much she is. I says, 'you can't build your nest in a chimney pot.' Does she listen? Noooo.." Gluck came by and talked. "A proper twit she is."

Bigwig sighed, from her talkative state. Although off topic, I was trying to come up what to say. "So... what happened to her nest?"

"I beg your pardon?" she questioned.

"You said she build a nest at a chimney pot, so what happened?"

"Oh right, smoke came out of the chimney pot that ruined her nest you see. So she came back to me and told me what happened..." the conversation went on endless. It reminded some of my family members as conservationists, unlike myself when it comes to long talk. It even when on at two different points, when Bigwig and I had to watch Hazel's and Primrose's kittens. It was hard of me to keep track of the conversation while Bigwig started to slightly become annoyed. And at one point it was went on, as Bigwig was about to start another patrol and you know who came back... Gluck. As she started another conversation about another gull... I guess like I said it was hard to keep track from what she said.

From the state Bigwig was in, he just about had enough that he decided to not to tolerate it. "WILL YOU STOP CARRYING IT?!" It jumped Gluck as she flapped her wings and even screeched. He than noticed that her feelings were hurt. "Oh, I'm sorry Gluck. I've just got this terrible pain in my ears."

"Are you sure it's not a headache? It could be a tumor?" I joked.

"I'm sure you'll have one Andrew, if you keep this up." he turned towards me.

"Nevermind."

"Oh, I can see where that'd be a problem. With your ears at all..." As she said to Bigwig and pulling his left ear, before turning towards me. "...and your head. As I said to Tolk..."

Bigwig decided to dismiss the patrol, as he was too annoyed that he went off grumbling.

"Gluck is sure taking a liking to you and Bigwig." Dandelion said.

"Poor son." Hawkbit joked.

"Will not for long, she's coming our way. Why don't you two have a good conversation with her, as I head back towards the warren." As I headed my way back, I turned over to see her talking to Hawkbit and Dandelion, as they have no idea what Gluck was talking about. I chuckled. "I guess you three are going to get along I suppose."

* * *

Before I could head inside, I saw Fiver and Blackberry were little further away, as she was talking to him. I wasn't sure what was going on that I decided to come down to see what's happening.

"Come on Fiver, you must see something." Blackberry said to him.

"What's going on here?" I asked.

"I'm trying to have Fiver see something about Campion." she answered, while Fiver was focused and trying to see a vision.

"Don't try to rush it, if that's what you're doing." I advised her. "He and Tyler will be coming back when they return."

Fiver let out a breath, as he failed to see a vision about Campion. "I'm sorry Blackberry. I can't see Campion's trail or yours."

"How could you see visions of Woundwart, but not Campion's?" she questioned him.

"I don't know." Fiver said, before she glanced towards me. "What about you?"

"Me?"

"Yes, you probably know something about Campion when Woundwart attacked our warren. Campion was about to save our life, but you saved him instead." she spoke.

"Now wait a minute, it was more a premonition and it came in a blink of a eye. Also, I'm sure it'll come if something is wrong or in a sudden. If it comes to love, you just have to be patient." I said.

"I know, but your premonition and another incident you had was that you were touched by _The Black Rabbit of Inle_." she said.

I sighed. "I don't know how to put it, but it rarely happens. It would be something dire if something was going to happen."

"Maybe his future is hidden." Fiver suggested.

"Doubtfully, it's obvious him and Blackberry are for each other. Perhaps he's training with Tyler, so he could stop Woundwart himself." I suggested another theory.

Blackberry decided to give it up. "Well at least you tried Fiver, thank you. And Andrew, I'll try to be patient."

"It's okay. You'll never know in a sudden that you two will be together, as time flies." I said, as she patted Fiver.

In a sudden, Fiver began to shiver, as a vision kicked in. _Into The Valley of Fire you both shall go. If you live to escape, only_ _Frith could know._ After his vision, he dropped flat in exhaustion. I came and picked him up.

"'Into The Valley of Fire you both shall go.' What does it mean Fiver?" Blackberry quoted the vision, before she asked.

"I don't know, but what I saw look like a nightmare of world end." he said, before Blackberry left.

"Are you alright, Fiver?" I asked.

"I'll be fine. It's Blackberry I'm afraid of, even Campion. Perhaps Tyler." Fiver said.

"What about Tyler? He would come back with Campion." I said.

"I don't know, but another vision came earlier, about him. 'As a message from Tyler will come, but two rabbits would not return'." he quoted.

"That doesn't make any sense. Either way, he's with Campion, I'm sure they would avoid capture." I remained certain that they wouldn't be captured by Woundwart.

"Only _Frith_ will knows." he said. "Perhaps your premonitions may also provide all us clues."

"Yours too. Mainly. You're considered as assist and vital to your warren. Also, we're here for each other to help, even me." I lend out a hand, before he lend out his paw we gave a shake on it.

"Let's get back to the warren." I suggested.

* * *

It was uncertain, that we decided to walk it off at the time being, at the same time we decided to keep our visions/premonitions in check. When we came up the hill, I was hit, as if something bit me.

"OWWW! Something bit me!" I shouted, as I rub my face.

"Are you alright?" Fiver asked.

"I don't know, something came at me though." I said, until Fiver looked down to see it was a seed.

"A cherry stone." he said.

"You mean a cherry seed." I looked at it and picked it up. "Dang, I never thought it could hurt someone, unless someone threw it."

We went back up the hill to see Gluck was teaching the kittens to spit cherry seeds. She even made one good shot, as it flew all the way to hit Bigwig.

"Oi!" he shouted from the sting of the flying seed.

"Gluck, what are you doing?!" Hazel came towards us with Primrose.

"She's teaching us to spit cherry stones father." Snowdrop answered, before she spit a cherry seed and it hit on Hannah on the head.

"Oh, ha ha, very funny." Hannah sarcastically laughed.

"I really don't know how harmfully those seeds can be." I decided to try it, but trying to spit at a boulder. Although, I'm not a cherry type person except when it comes to drinks, I swallowed the juice and it's skin while having the seed in my mouth. I aimed at the boulder and spit the seed out, the seed hit the boulder, but it reflect it hit me in the eye. It even knocked me to the ground from the seed's speed and impact.

"Andrew!" Hazel and Fiver exclaimed, as they came to my side.

"Oh my God, I shot my eye!" I shouted.

"Are you alright?" Hazel asked.

I started to wink and didn't feel any pain. "Oh, I guess I didn't shot my eye out."

"It did hit you around your eye though." Fiver said, as the kittens laughed. "Oh wait, it's uhh... uhhh... a tree bark! Yeah it fell off from a tree and it hit in the eye!"

"Well stop it right now, come along." Primrose stopped the kittens from doing, before the three headed off. "And Andrew you shot the seed and it was no bark."

"No it isn't, it was a tree bark. It fell off from a tree branch and it hit me! It hit my cheek and it broke my glasses! I tried to get out of the way, but I couldn't!" I started to fake crying, as Hazel and Fiver chuckled as they shook their heads. I than looked back at Primrose, as she had one eyebrow up and another one down, as she smirked. "I guess it's working, isn't?"

"Not one bit." she spoke, before she the children headed off.

"Aw, I was just getting a bit of lock with the little ones." Gluck was disappointed.

"Yeah, and they're having fun with us!" Kehaar protected his mate.

"I know, but ummm... we try to be good examples to the children." Hazel tried to explain to Gluck, before he rubbed his cheek. "There are some things we'd rather they didn't do."

"Oh... fine. No stone spitting..." Kehaar exclaimed. "...but else rabbits don't do? You tell us then we know."

"That's a good idea!" Hazel exclaimed.

"What is?" I asked.

"Bigwig, Hawkbit, Dandelion!" Hazel called out the _Owsla_. "How would you like to coach Gluck in etiquette?"

"Ummm... love to, but I'm ummm-"

"We're off to ummmm..." Bigwig interrupted, as he was trying to figure out what to say in reply. "... to clear out a nest of stokes."

"Yeah... ta daa!" Dandelion bid farewell, before the three headed out.

 _Cowards._ I thought to myself.

"Gluck is love of my heart. She don't need lessons." Kehaar stated. "Come darling, we go fish." Before we know, we watched them fly off to catch some fish.

* * *

"Oh well that went well." I said.

"I think it's a matter of love Kehaar and love Gluck, Hazel." Hannah stated.

"I'm afraid so." Hazel agreed.

"Anyway, why were you rubbing your cheek?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing."

"Well you were rubbing it, as if a bee stung you or mosquito bit you." I said.

Hazel sighed. "Alright, I have been hit by a cherry stone."

"By Gluck?" I asked.

"No by Snowdrop." he answered.

"Oh, enough said. I guess your guys children will learn anything now and than, out of curiosity."

"Yes, but we tried to not let them get too much or learn anything that we don't approve." Hazel explained about his and Primrose's parenting style.

"So I guess you never spit a cherry seed before, didn't you?" I questioned, as I smirked.

"Uhhh, Andrew." Fiver tried to speak to me.

"I mean, not to offend your parental style. Deep down I'm pretty sure you know how to do it though."

Hazel than looked at the pile of cherries and picked up a cherry. "So Andrew, do you like cherries?"

"I'm not a fully cherry person, but I did have cherry drinks." I answered.

"Are you thirsty?"

"Why?" Before I could get a answer, he squeezed the cherry and it's juice sprayed on me, he and Fiver began to laugh. "Ohh... that's not funny."

"I think so too." he smiled.

"No it isn't. It's like squeezing a water balloon and sprayed water on me." I disagreed.

"But it'll do a change on your hair."

"Oh really?" I smirked, as I went over to the pile of cherries and picked one up.

"Don't you dare, Andrew..." Hazel warned me.

"I think it'll add the cherry look on you." I mischievously smiled.

"I'm warning you-" I than squeezed the cherry on my hand and the juice went all over the top of his head.

"Payback on you!"

Fiver found a juicy cherry and he squeezed with his strength and it sprayed juice at all three of us. We than looked at each other to see us sticky and wet from the cherry juice. I even gave it a lick around my mouth. "Still has a juicy flavor." We than laughed before the three of us continued on to have our juicy cherry fight, as we continued to spray cherry juice at each other. After we were about low on cherries, we decided to save them and took a swim on the brook to get rid of the juice. The three of us just finished a playful cherry juice fight. We now just decided to end the playful fight with some splash of water at each other, as if I was playing with my older siblings at the swimming pool back in Sacramento. All I needed was to have a my phone so I could have a photo of the three of us so I could add it to my scrapbook or photo album book.

 _To Be Continued..._


	104. Author's Note: Merry Christmas

Hello my fellow readers and followers, I'm writing to you for first to say A Merry Christmas to all of you and thank for your support over a year since started the remake of the series. Second, I'm also writing to you because of a recent Watership Down remake was released. I understand that most of the reviews or some will say through comments that the animation looks bad and/or even perhaps have some inaccuracies from the novel. After finishing the miniseries on Netflix, I say it's best of you to watch it: either you watching it on the BBC or on Netflix. From watching the miniseries, I really enjoyed it, as it has some moments that it was heartfelt, funny, or even sad. Try to give the miniseries a chance and feel free to write a review from what you think about the miniseries. I'll be on a short break from writing to spend time with my family, perhaps thinking about doing the miniseries in my own remake perhaps. If you think I should, feel free to respond as well either review or message. I'll like to hear your thoughts and also comments about the miniseries. Finally of course, I'll be resuming soon as I can, otherwise... Stay Tuned for the next part of the episode My Fair Gull. See you around and have a Wonderful Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


	105. Episode 31: My Fair Gull Part 3

My Fair Gull Part 3

Author's Note: Dear Readers, I'm sorry it's been long for me to catch up on the Watership Down Series Remake, since I have been doing the Miniseries remake. I'll let you know that I'm **not** abandoning the TV series nor will be, since how far we have come to this point of the series. I'll do my best to catch up with the TV series, just as soon as I wrap up the Miniseries. Hopefully you all have been having a good year of 2019 so far. Feel free to read through the Watership Down Miniseries Remake that I have done and trying to finish it soon as possible, as I needed to continue with TV Series Remake too and other stories, as I'm at school and of course working. And of course, forgive me if this final part of this episode is short, so we could get to the next episode. Stay Tuned for more episodes, as well don't forget to check the Watership Down Miniseries Remake!

After our cherry juice fight and getting cleaned at the broke, we returned back towards the down. Bigwig informed us about possibilities that Woundwart's and Vervain's scent were near around the woods. Although we have no indication that they're at another warren or have a warren of their, Hazel informed us that we had stay sharp for anything. What we didn't expect was Kehaar and Gluck coming down at us, like dive bombers, but simply crash landed on the grass.

"Sorry." Gluck apologized. "Awfully clumsy of me."

"Not at all. I guess it's relate-able from Kehaar's experience." I remember Kehaar repetitively crash landed on the down.

We than watched Gluck walking over to Primrose, before she tumbled near her feet. "Me sincere apology, for teaching your youngsters to spit cherry stones. Most distasteful. Won't happen again."

Primrose accepted it, although it was more childish antics that it's common around here. Gluck than came over to Hazel and Bigwig. "Awfully sorry for boring you with all that claptrap about my friends, Bigwig." She than apologized to Bigwig. Kehaar slapped his wing on his head. "Most inconsiderate of me."

"No more Gluck." Kehaar stepped in. "You got nothing to sorry at. You're gentle as kind, sweet gull."

"Not like the ones he used to remember" Bigwig whispered, that I elbowed him.

"You're perfect as you're." Kehaar said to Gluck.

"Gluck, you didn't really have to apologize for all this trouble." I spoke up. "It's best to be yourself as possible, even though trying to be mindful is all. Especially for the kittens, they could antics that you teach could backfire on you."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I mean about the cherry seeds, what if they spitted on you? I'm sure you wouldn't enjoy it one bit." I figured.

"Well you're right." she admitted.

"Besides, you could always entertain them in different playful ways, like Kehaar does with them, when they're little." I added.

Kehaar than taught Gluck how she could play with the kittens. The kittens would go around them, apparently Gluck found it playful for Gilia and Snowdrop. Kehaar than stopped and let her have the fun with them, as he has a word with Hazel.

"Kehaar, I own you and Gluck an apology for how we treated her." Hazel apologized.

"Oh, you didn't mean any harm. I know that." Kehaar knew he didn't mean it.

"We know, but we should be happy for you and Gluck, instead we kind of ruining it for the both you." I said.

"So, is your mind made up than?" Hazel than asked the big question.

"Yea." Kehaar answered. "Poor Gluck, not like Kehaar. I'm happy anywhere, so I think big city is where we go." He than made an decision to move out with Gluck and live somewhere in the city. My best guess would be London.

"But what will we do without ya?" Hannah questioned. "What if he forgets about us?"

"Sometimes things change, my dear friend." Kehaar kindly spoke to his oldest friend, Hannah the mouse.

"It's never easy for a friend to move away from an old friend." I told her. "However, it's best to remember the great times you two shared before we even met you both."

"Andrew's right! In my heart, my love for all of you in Watership Down that never change." Kehaar agreed, as he laid his wing down for Hannah. "Come on, we go fly for the last ride." She than climbed onto Kehaar and he than took off and flew around the down for a while, even away. It was probably the last thing that he would do for Hannah, have her enjoy a one last seagull ride.

* * *

They flew until near the evening that Kehaar came back towards the down with Hannah. He knew now that it was now time for him and Gluck fly away together. Everyone gathered outside of the warren to say their final goodbye to Kehaar and thanking him for his service with us.

"Oh, you rabbits. I not know how to thank you for all you do for me." Kehaar expressed that he was grateful to us.

"We look after each other." I told him. "That's what we do."

Kehaar nodded. "Sometimes we have wars, sometimes peace. Always joy. I miss you always, but sometime we come back with baby gulls, huh?"

"We'll be looking forward to that day." Pipkin spoke.

"Now you take good care of him." Hannah told Gluck, as Kehaar nuzzled Gluck.

"Oh, I will Hannah. The very best." Gluck promised.

"And Andrew?" Kehaar got my attention.

"Yes."

"When do you think you return to your world?" he asked me.

I simply shrugged my shoulders. "Beats me, until I found my way back. However, if I do and come across with the both of you. I'll be more than happy, but wave at you guys."

"I'll look out for your wave old friend." he said. I than put my hand out, as he pulled out his wing and the two of us shook. "Please tell Tyler and Campion we said goodbye."

"I'll let them know." I promised.

"Okay Gluck. Let's go home." he than turned to his mate and started to take off to the skies and let out his final _Keaaaaaaa_!

We all waved our goodbyes to them, as they disappeared to the sunset. I than noticed Hannah sniffled with tears. "Hannah, what's wrong?"

"There'll never be another gull like Kehaar." she sadly stated.

"True, but just keep thinking about him and your heart. That's the best way to remember a friend that leaves here." I advised her. "Perhaps one day, like he said, he and Gluck would come back with chicks."

She than wiped the tears and smiled, as we continued to watch our dear friend Kehaar flew towards the sun with his mate, until they were gone out of sight...

 _To Be Continued..._


	106. Episode 32: The Dark Deal Part 1

Author's Note: Hi everyone! Sorry I haven't been able to write much after finishing the Watership Down Miniseries Remake. If you haven't read it, please feel free to read the remake and you won't be disappointed. Second, forgive me that I spoke about school that I dropped because the work load is too much for me to maintain school and work. However, the best thing to say about school is that if any of you going to school, **Do Not Give Up Nor Leave School Because You Can't Do!** Although, it maybe understandable to others who work or have lives of their own, that maybe reasonable. However to those who attempt to go or continuing on to finish school, **Please Don't Give Up!** I may find myself one day that I made a mistake, but I know it doesn't mean that I can't go back, but wish to go back when I had a chance or a better circumstance. Anyways, hope you'll enjoy this episode and part.

The Dark Deal Part 1

I woke up for the first time and it was different. I didn't hear Kehaar's wake up call. It's been a few short days, since he left with Gluck. I looked at my phone and to see it was 8:45 a.m.

"Oh man, I'm late!" In shock that I quickly got out of my sleeping bag and quickly got dressed. Today was combat for the _Owsla_ that everyone in the _Owsla_ would be training for any possible chance of combating with Woundwart and his army again... if he has one. I left my burrow and dashed off from the tunnels, to the Honeycomb, and eventually outside of the warren, where I found Blackberry and Hannah speaking to each other. I than heard a "caw" sound from above us to see a crow was screeching from a tree branch above us.

" _Elil_!" I rushed over and pounced on them both to protect them from the crow.

"Andrew!" Blackberry looked up at me.

"Are you two okay?!" I questioned out of worry.

"We're fine... it's just a crow, making a nuisance." Hannah assured me.

"Oh thank goodness. I'm sorry I had to pounce on the both of you." I got up and offered them a hand to pick them up.

Hannah handled herself fine, as I picked Blackberry up. "So... what's up?"

I than noticed Hannah was a bit down. "It's just that I miss Kehaar."

"I know Hannah, we all miss him." Blackberry expressed sympathy, as the crow screeched and flew off.

"Oh wait a minute, who says I miss that molten old, gull?" Hannah questioned sarcastically.

"Well... you did say you miss him. It doesn't mean anything wrong with that." I expressed to her.

"I know. Just wondering how he likes his new life in the city that's all." she wonders.

"It maybe strange, however he'll get use to it. Just like how he was getting use to it here, even myself."

"Funny though. When someone's gone, you realize how much room they took up in your life." she spoke.

"Hmmm... now that I know Campion is doing alright with Tyler. He's never out of my thoughts." Blackberry added.

"I don't think everyone can't get them out of our minds." I agreed.

"I wish he were here." Blackberry wished, as I started to look around. "What are you looking for, Andrew?"

"Just looking for the Message Bird, Tyler sent to us before." I answered.

"You expect it to come soon?" Hannah asked, as she and Blackberry were little clueless, as they never heard The Message Bird that Tyler sent.

"I don't know, it could come around anytime. Perhaps they're busy." I answered.

"What did say?" Blackberry asked.

"I remember basically that they'll be coming back sooner than we think. As well he's getting the best training... AHHHHHHHH! TRAINING!" I than realized that I was on my way to combat training with the _Owsla_. "Sorry guys I gotta run!"

"To where, Andrew?" Blackberry asked.

"Training. I'll see you guys soon!" I answered, as I waved and started to head my down hill in hopes to get better speed.

* * *

The downhill did help me gain speed, as my feet started sprint very quickly, until I was able to run straight. I than found them, as they have started the training already.

 _Man, I have never been that much late before._ I said to myself, as I fear of what Bigwig would said about my tardiness.

I just hurried over to see Hawkbit and Strawberry are combat training with each other. As I joined in to watch, I was immediately caught by Hazel and Bigwig.

"You're late, Andrew." Bigwig informed me.

"I know, I'm sorry, I simply overslept by accident." I apologized.

"Well... at least you're in time to watch Hawkbit being thrashed by Strawberry." Bigwig sighed.

We than saw Strawberry making a good kick out of Hawkbit, that he slid to a boulder of rocks and bumped his head. "Are you alright, Hawkbit?" Strawberry asked.

"I slipped blind luck on your part, Strawberry!" Hawkbit exclaimed in frustration.

"Doesn't seem like luck, if you're getting your rear end kicked. That's for sure." I joked.

"I'll show you!" Hawkbit pounced on Strawberry in a attempt to hold him down, only to be backfired from Strawberry threw him towards the log.

"Is that blind luck, now Hawkbit?" I questioned.

Hawkbit groaned and mumbles.

"Nicely done, lad." Bigwig complimented Strawberry for his fighting skills. "At least somebody's paying attention to their combat lessons."

Strawberry than smirked at the annoyed Hawkbit.

"I'd say Hawkbit has enough training for one morning." Bigwig stated. "How about the tardy human could take on Strawberry?"

"Wait, what?" I questioned.

"Since everyone had their training on time, before we could conclude today's training, perhaps you and Strawberry combat each other." Hazel explained.

I gulped. Strawberry and I circled around each other. "Don't worry Andrew, I'll go easy on you." he assured.

"Yeah... that I'm not too sure." I disagreed.

In a flash, Strawberry tackled me to the ground. I began to struggle to free myself, as he continued held me down.

"Well... even Andrew is losing his combat skills." Bigwig teased.

I simply took some breaths and started to remember the _Mortal Kombat_ games I played. I than performed a headbutt on Strawberry and tossed him, as he got himself to a good land. Bigwig and the rest of the rabbits were than surprised that I held my ground. Hawkbit scoffed, as he's probably jealous. Strawberry than made another charge at me to make another attempt. I dodged his leap in time, as I than tackled him down, before he rolled me to the ground. It didn't stop me to use my strength and rolled him to the ground.

"Well... perhaps I'm wrong. You two are equally match." Bigwig took what he said previously back.

"Nice fight, Strawberry... how did you... get to be so strong?" I complimented and wondered how he was able to combat against me and Hawkbit.

"Digging. Very simple. I used my digging skills to keep me strong." Strawberry answered.

I nodded. "I guess that explains that you're always eager to help dig."

"Alright, exercises are over." Bigwig than announced.

"You did very well yourself. How did you learn?" Strawberry asked.

"Self-defense. As well about me and brother getting into fights. Other that, I simply improvised or play around." I answered, as I dusted myself off, before he joined the rest of the _Owsla_. Well... everyone except Hawkbit, as he struggled to pick himself up from the log that he made a failed hop, until he manages to climb over and hop off.

"Everyone's looking sharp, Bigwig." Hazel spoke.

"Almost everyone..." Bigwig continued to look at Hawkbit, as he was lagging behind.

"Now we know Woundwart's out there." Hazel stated, as the three of us started to head back. "We all got to stay in peak form."

"Well... not until I'm able to wake up in time." I spoke.

"You didn't do too bad. You're in good shape." Hazel said highly of me.

"Unless you're able to show up on time." Bigwig stated.

I sighed, as I understood he doesn't excuse of tardiness. "I know Bigwig. Like I said, I didn't mean to slept in. If you wish to have me train harder or restrict myself that's fine for the punishment."

"I'm not deciding for you to get punished!" Bigwig exclaimed. "It's best for everyone in the _Owsla_ to show up on time for training, especially combat."

I nodded. "I understand."

"Good lad." Bigwig nodded. "Say... how did you learn how to combat?"

"Oh... from playing or improvising. Basically watching you guys and Tyler of course." I stuttered. "However, this was a bit strange. It wasn't the way I normally fought."

"What do you mean?" Hazel asked.

"I felt... I felt as if someone was taken control of me. I felt like that I wanted to harm Strawberry, but really I never wanted to harm him, because he's part of us." I spoke.

"Now, that's what it's call control! You have control over your fighting skills. Knowing when it's appropriate during combat." Bigwig spoke.

"I don't know, Bigwig. Normally, I won't fight with anyone, but at that moment. It was like if someone was trying to have me harm him." I still wasn't sure that it was real control. To say that someone or something is taking over me, or it was mental.

"Look, let's just head back and forget about the nonsense. It seems to be it's nearly enough trouble for yourself already." Bigwig dismissed what happened, as he hopped ahead, leaving just me and Hazel.

"You think it was the dream that you had back in the woods?" Hazel asked.

"I don't know. However, I haven't been sleeping too much, because I kept seeing myself harming a rabbit." I answered of a dream that I can't get over.

"One of us or anyone in our warren?"

"I don't know." I answered. "I can't tell. Perhaps it'll be more clear sooner or later that I may know better or not want to know."

"Alright." Hazel patted me on the back. "Let's enjoy our morning _silflaying_."

I continued to head back up on the hill with Hazel, as we returned back to our warren and _silflayed_ around the tree. Later on, as we're continuing about our daily activities, I saw Fiver coming out of the warren. I started to walk towards him and chat with him... until he began to shiver, before he dropped onto his back with his eyes widen.

"Fiver, are you alright?" I asked him, as I continued to approach to him. I simply touched him on his paw to have me black out.

* * *

I than saw the skies red, in blood. I wandered around the field, until I see a rabbit heading towards me. I gazed ahead to see it was Hawkbit fleeing from dirt showering on him and eventually caved him in.

"Hawkbit!" I hurried over to dig him out. The digging was endless until I see a hand came out. I recognized it that it was my hand.

The vision took me away from a field to a large opened entranced warren. I than realized it was Cowslip's Warren of Shining Warrens. I wasn't too sure why Cowslip would be any part of this vision. I than entered the warren to see startled rabbits in fright, as I than see Cowslip dead with a shining wire around his neck. At first, it maybe that he would be caught in a wire and be trapped. However, it wasn't until I see someone coming out from a nearby tunnel where the person walked over to Cowslip's body.

"They're free! He's responsible for the suffering." the shadowy person spoke, before the black shadow spread throughout the main hall of the warren until everything went black that I don't see anything.

 _To Be Continued..._


	107. Episode 32: The Dark Deal Part 2

The Dark Deal Part 2

Author's Note: I'm sorry that I haven't spend too much time on it. Please forgive me, I'm trying to catch up whenever I can, as more ideas have me started to write more stories. If you're interested feel free to read the short stories that I wrote, Watership Down Miniseries Remake, and also the previous stories I have done and also been trying to work on. Stay Tuned!

I opened my eyes in a gasp, as I heard Fiver screamed from his vision. He than sat up, as I was continuing to breath heavily from the vision we both shared. Hazel, Bigwig, and Hawkbit came over towards us, as they heard Fiver.

"What's wrong Fiver?" Hazel asked.

Fiver began to stammer, as he looked at Hawkbit. We both knew something is bound to happen to him, but neither he nor myself would tell Hazel, about him. A. He would not even believe us and he would be judgmental and B. he would go off unprepared.

I thought Fiver was going to come up with something, instead he said... "I just stepped on a wasp."

"Wasp?!" I looked around, as the four stared at me. "Sorry... you know how I'm."

"We know what you mean." Hazel spoke.

 _Hazel_! We heard a female was calling for him. We turned to see it was Marigold and she was hurrying towards Hazel, urgently.

"Marigold, what a surprise!" I greeted.

"You have to help us! Woundwart, he's at Redstone!" she informed us. "We're all in terrible danger!"

Woundwart is not even far from where we are and worst of all... he's dictating Redstone. "Bigwig, tonight we'll leave and head over to Redstone."

Bigwig nodded, as he headed inside to gather the _Owsla_ , while Fiver pulled me and Hazel to aside.

"What is it, Fiver?" Hazel asked.

"My vision, I saw Hawkbit... something would happen to him, if he comes with us to help and save Sandleford." Fiver told us about his vision.

"What do you mean... you mean Hawkbit would die, if he joins us?" I questioned.

Fiver nodded his head firmly.

"Perhaps it's best that Hawkbit stays here, if your vision sees true." Hazel decided.

"You guys not saying because he's weak, right?" I questioned that the brothers turned at me in surprise.

"What makes you say that such remark?" he questioned me.

"Because we seen him that he's not worthy of combat, but he always tries his hardest to prove himself, but he always ended up being defeated by Strawberry. Bigwig even thinks that he's not _Owsla_ material." I expressed concern for Hawkbit.

"Well you may have to express your concern to Bigwig. I'm sure he could take your word and/or listen what you have to say." Hazel suggested.

I than turned towards Fiver. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings Fiver. It's just that it was only to say that Hawkbit wouldn't be effective as an _Owsla_ either he stays or comes."

"Oh no, I never meant for it like that or will think of it." Fiver told me.

"I know... you're concerned about him. However, I think if he's wanting to step up and help us, he should tag along with us." I thought.

* * *

After our short discussion, I headed back inside the warren to see Bigwig and Hawkbit were having a conversation that watched, as Bigwig told Hawkbit can't go with us to help Redstone.

"What do you mean I can't go?" Hawkbit questioned him, before stuttering. "It's because Strawberry got lucky in the combat exercises, isn't it?"

"I don't debate orders, Hawkbit. I give them. You're not coming on the scouting patrol. Clear?" Bigwig informed Hawkbit.

Without saying a word, he hurried off probably to be left alone. I felt bad for Hawkbit, as he wasn't being able to tag along with us. I could understand that he could be a drag, however since we resumed training, he's been trying his best. Despite from being bested by Strawberry in combat. My only option is convince Bigwig that perhaps we could give him a chance to join him, just under supervision. I than walked over towards Bigwig, as he turned towards me.

"Andrew, what a surprise." Bigwig spoke.

"I listened about Hawkbit not coming along with us." I sighed.

"That's right, we'll make sure Strawberry won't have him leave." Bigwig was firm of his decision.

"But, don't you think it's too harsh. I mean, I understand he's slow and not very strong in combat." I recognized Hawkbit's weaknesses.

"And that's why he's staying, we can't lose another rabbit over his own faults."

"Look at me, I falter at times in combat and training, however I try to make up everything I can to improve." I added.

"Unlike Hawkbit, that's why you're vital for our _Owsla_. You're smart and you even have wit." Bigwig spoke.

I sighed. "All I'm trying to say is really..."

"What is it?" he asked.

"Maybe he could have chance. We all know that he's trying his best and trying to improve for your expectations. Perhaps if he's able to come along with us, it could be his opportunity to step up, rather him mumbling about it and being negative." I try to convince Bigwig.

He started to have second thoughts after what I said, until he nodded his head. "Maybe... maybe so. I'll think about it with Hazel, just get rested up for tonight."

I than left Bigwig to have some time for himself, as I started to search for Hawkbit. I than found him in his burrow. He was sulking alone, as I didn't see Clover around, probably helping with other rabbits to dig more burrows for rabbits from Redstone, in case they're staying with us.

"Hawkbit?"

"Not trying to be rude, it's not a good time to have company! Especially you." he exclaimed.

"I'm not the one is sulking in a burrow like a thirteen year-old kid!" I remarked about his negative attitude that got him more upset. "Look, I saw you and Bigwig, as well what took place."

He grumbled. "I can't do anything right! Even Strawberry has been improving, also Dandelion!"

"I know you been trying your hardest. You just probably needed motivation to improve yourself, that's all."

"If I wasn't sarcastic, slow and weak." he moped. "I'm sure it's easy for you, because you're 'human' and you make yourself up twice than I have."

"Easy? It's not easy for me, from where I come and being here. Besides, you did have some improvements over the time that I was here. Especially for Tyler and Clover anyway."

"But that's different! That's for me being a father, but I'm talking about being an _Owsla_ buck." he thought differently.

"Not too much, however perhaps I could mend your skills and maybe you could improve your skills. Meet me outside the warren." I had an idea that could help him improve so he could join us.

* * *

In the afternoon, we both met outside not far from where our training exercises took place earlier today. I even invited Strawberry, Dandelion, and the kittens to give him some extra hand. Hawkbit was against from having Strawberry being part of the training. I explained to him that it could help himself from improving his combat skills to become equally match with Strawberry's. First, I had him do a simple running track to help improve his speed. At first to haven't realize before, Dandelion was able to outrun him on the first run. It was nothing different of a course run with logs that he has to go under and hop over, as well going around boulders.

"I almost forgot how fast you run, Dandelion." Hawkbit panted.

"Try to keep up a bit, old chap." Dandelion smiled.

"I can't out run his speed." Hawkbit complained to me.

"You may not, but as long you try your hardest and you could equally less than match up to his speed. Try again." I encouraged him. He than did another re-run that he did slightly better than the first try until the third try, he was able to improve his stamina and caught up to Dandelion and successfully completed his course run.

Our next order of the business was combat. Hawkbit suggested that he should try to improve first by digging. I told him that there'll be more time to dig, since Clover has always been trying to have him dig with her. I simply have Hawkbit and Strawberry go at each other in combat. At the first combat, Hawkbit simply try to pounce onto Strawberry only to be knocked onto the ground in one tackle. The next combat lesson was having him defend, but he was quickly taken down easy by you know who...

After his tackle, Hawkbit grumbled as he dusted himself off. "I can't do this, Andrew! No matter what I try, he'll always counter!"

"Just keep trying, Hawkbit. You're getting there! Perhaps, you should try not to rush too much. Be predictable and maneuver his moves." I gave him some advice. "Just be slow at first to expect him to know you're trying to simply do, than... bam!"

"I don't know what 'bam' means, but I think I know you're trying to say." he slightly understood.

"Good, give it a try." he than went off and prepared himself for another combat exercise. I looked behind to see Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, and the Captains were watching me train Hawkbit to prove himself.

Hawkbit started to circle slowly around Strawberry, as he's doing the same. "Come on, Uncle Hawkbit! You could do it!" I than heard one of the kittens starting to cheer him on, before Pipkin and Dandelion cheered him on.

Strawberry smiled to think that it could help Hawkbit improve his own motivation rather than feeling too negative, when combating. He than rushed towards Strawberry, as he was prepare to take him down previously before. This time, Hawkbit hopped back away from Strawberry's counter, as they repeated the same cycle again. I smiled, as he was getting the hang of it. Strawberry started to charge at him, as it was perfect for him that he dodged Strawberry's tackle. After another failed attempt, Hawkbit manages to tackle down on Strawberry in one move.

Everybody else cheered for, as I simply applauded. Strawberry, with good sportsmanship, he congratulated Hawkbit from his impressive combat skills.

"Great job, Hawkbit!" I commended him. "How are you feeling?"

"I guess I took some much for granted that I never thought I have that much skill and wit." Hawkbit spoke.

"Indeed. It'll be better if you continue train more to get more at it and you'll be equally the same like everybody else in the _Owsla_. However, you did come a long way and I'm impressed."

We than saw the five rabbits coming towards us, after watching his training. They were really impressed from my coaching, most importantly though was Hawkbit making a successful comeback against Strawberry from the previous training that they did their military exercise.

"Very impressive!" Hazel complimented.

"I must say indeed." Captains Holly and Broom agreed.

Everyone turned towards Bigwig, as he came towards Hawkbit. "You did have a great comeback and improved from our last exercise. I hope you keep it up and don't slack off."

"So, what do you two think? Can he join us?" I than asked Hazel and Bigwig.

The two looked at each other and nodded their heads. "Alright, since you still have to work on more improvements. I say you're welcome to join us."

"It's almost nightfall, we all need to be prepared. Perhaps a short nap would do." Hazel suggested for the five of us.

* * *

After everyone else is heading back to the warren, I could see Hawkbit was slightly a bit down. I went over and patted him on the back.

"See... I know you have it in you." I said.

"Bigwig thinks differently." he slightly moped.

"Well on the half side of it. You still have much to learn of course, however you're improving great. You just have to keep it up just like that not slack off."

Hawkbit nodded. "I'll do my best."

"I know you'll and hey perhaps one day you could teach Tyler some moves you did."

"Not likely, it may never hurt, but he knows much more than I do." he stated.

"Well, maybe he could help you. You two could help each other." I suggested, as we started our way back towards the warren. He than simply nodded and the two of us arrived back and rested up for tonight's operation to help restore Redstone from General Woundwart's ruling.


	108. Episode 32: The Dark Deal Part 3

The Dark Deal Part 3

The night came, as I woke up to see Sandy fast asleep. I simply gave her a kiss, as she was snuggled in my blanket. As well assuring her, that I'll be back in the morning. I grabbed my bag and hurried on my way out of the warren to join up with Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig, Primrose, Blackberry, Marigold, Dandelion, and Hawkbit. He was definitely eager to go out with us to help and save Redstone Warren from Woundwart. However, I told him to be careful in every way in case of danger. We finally left the warren, as Strawberry stayed behind to guard the warren until we got back.

It was a good start on our journey. Hawkbit was able to keep up with us and not even having one compliant along the way. Meanwhile along the way, I blanked out in a flash, as if I was taken to another place. I found myself to see a large opening entrance of a warren. It was The Warren of Shining Wires! Night became dark and pouring rain, as the storm came in. I entered the warren's entrance and started to hear The Doors' _The End_. The next thing I would probably vision myself as Cpt. Benjamin L. Willard from _Apocalypse Now_. I began to hear the chants that were probably sounded from someone I never heard for a long time since we first encountered the warren. When I came into their Great Burrow, I saw Silverweed reciting his poems, as the cult-like rabbits' rocked back and forth with their eyes closed. Next to Silverweed was Cowslip, whom I thought I would never wanted to see his face again, even if he wand himself in Hell. Two more rabbits came into the picture... General Woundwart and Vervain.

... _Now you offered revenge against Marigold, Hickory, and the rest whom fled my warren._ Cowslip spoke.

... _As Hickory and the rest, I'll wipe them out. Redstone won't even be a memory. As for Marigold, she has already met The Black Rabbit of Inle'._ Woundwart offered.

 _For that, you may have Silverweed._ Cowslip decided to agree the end of the bargain, as Silverweed was unsure. _But I must witness Redstone's demise for myself._

Woundwart laughed villainy. _Then I suggest we leave soon. Redstone's destruction is imminent._

A transition came, as Woundwart and Vervain were no longer present, including Silverweed. The rabbits of Cowslip's warren than appeared to be in a mourn, as they continued to ramble on, from the poets that Silverweed recited. I than saw Cowslip, as lies dead with a beatings and a knife wound, as he struggles to get his last words.

"The Horror... the horror..." Cowslip spoke in his dying words just like Colonel Walter E. Kurtz's demise in the film.

I looked down at my hands to see my hands stained with Cowslip's stained blood, with my switchblade with blood. I was gasping heavily, to only assume it's only a dream, as The Doors' song intensifies to the end.

 _Andrew... Andrew! Wake up Andrew!_

* * *

I than woke up to see myself lying on the ground, apparently woken up by Hazel and Fiver.

"Are you alright?" Hazel asked.

"I don't know... it was a strange vision I guess." I spoke, until I remembered what I saw. "It's Cowslip!"

"Cowslip! The Warren of Shining Wires?" Bigwig questioned.

"Yes, The Deadly Alliance formed up again. This time exchanging the lives of Marigold, Hickory, and everyone in Redstone for Silverweed to join with Woundwart." I recalled.

"Cowslip! It can't be!" Marigold can't believe it.

"We just need to hurry before, what could happen." Hawkbit spoke, as we go through the bridge of a canal.

"I don't know... only I know that it has to deal with The Deadly Alliance striking a deal!" I answered. "That's all I know."

Fiver than started to shiver and moan. All the sudden, his eyes widen and enters a paralysis, as he than leans over towards the edge of a railing. Luckily, Bigwig and I managed to caught him in time.

 _Man comes in without a care. He does not see the warren there. Beneath the earth, they cannot hide. Only man could push the earth aside._ Fiver visioned, until he started to gasp. The cause of Redstone's destruction would be done by humans.

"It's alright, Fiver. We're here." Hazel comforts him, as Fiver was coming back to us.

"I saw Redstone destroyed by man." Fiver told us.

"Woundwart said he'd destroy the warren, but how can he use man to do it?" Marigold questioned.

"He can't, it's impossible." Hazel answered.

"You're just flashing back to some nightmare about the end of Sandleford Warren, aren't you?" Bigwig questioned Fiver.

"No, it's Redstone and it's soon." Fiver was sure.

"How can that be?" Hawkbit questioned.

I gasped. "No, it's more than that! Because all the recent happenings in that warren. Not having much food in Redstone, _elil_ coming to hunt but only to be hunted by man. The only guess is that humans are about to clear the land, which will destroy the warren. Just like-"

"Sandleford." Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig, Hawkbit, Dandelion, and Blackberry finished my sentence.

"Exactly! Well minus _elil_ at Sandleford though. Basically, it's Déjà vu for you guys all over again!"

Hazel nodded. "Then let's get a move on. Quickly!"

* * *

The sun rose as a new day approaches. We finally arrived to see Redstone just ahead of us. However, we turned over to overlook construction vehicles of diggers and excavators are heading towards in a direct path towards Redstone Warren.

"Men..." I was shock to see first hand of a construction team about to be destroying a warren.

"And Redstone is right in their path. We've got to get them out. Fiver, Hawkbit, Dandelion, Blackberry and Marigold, get to the high ground over there to guide the rabbits, as soon they get out." Hazel started giving us instructions.

"I've got to find Hickory!" Marigold spoke.

"Do as I say, we'll get them out and you be ready to lead them away from this madness!" Hazel instructed her, before he turned towards Bigwig and I. "Come along, you two!"

Hazel, Bigwig, and I hurried downhill to reach towards Redstone Warren. The excavators and diggers were not far from us. We managed to get inside the warren and we came across with one of the Redstone rabbits named Flacks. He was trying to dig to the other side, as it maybe rabbits trapped inside.

"Flacks, you have to get out of here. Now!" Hazel told him.

"Hickory's trapped!" Flacks exclaimed. "As well some rabbits inside."

"Hickory!" Hazel called for him. "Can you hear me?"

We saw some rocks moving, as it maybe him. "Are you okay?" Hazel asked.

"I'm alright. Our children are trapped inside. Keep digging!" Hickory told us, as we than heard the kittens crying.

"Come on, let's dig!" I exclaimed and started to use my hands to move the rocks and dirt out of the path. Hazel and Bigwig started to dig with me and Flacks to get Hickory and apparently his and Marigold's kittens were trapped inside. The warren was in a brick of collapse, as we quickly dig, until Hickory and the kittens were able to climb through the hole. Hickory and the kittens managed to climb over, until they turned over to hear a scream.

"Who is that?!" I asked.

"A fellow rabbit! He's trapped!" Hickory answered.

"I'll get him out!" I began to climb over.

"Andrew, don't! We need to leave now!" Bigwig ordered.

"Just go and I'll get him out!" I reached towards the other side.

"Andrew, no!" Hazel shouted for me.

I hurried along the path to still hear the rabbit calling for help. "Where are you? Just keep shouting!"

"Please, please! I need help!" the voice came.

I continued to follow the voice, as it grew louder and louder. I reached over to find a rabbit, as his foot is caught in the rocks. "I'm trapped, I can't get out!"

"Alright, just stay calm and I'll get you out." I told him to calm down, as I tried to calm myself. I reached down at the rock to see his one foot is trapped. "Okay, I need you to pull yourself out! I'll try to move the rock!"

The rabbit nodded his head, as I started to pull the rock, as hard as I can. "Now!" The rabbit started to pull himself out, as I try to get the rock that was closing on him away, so he could quickly pull himself out and run for it. I was out of breath, but I wasn't giving up. I continued to pull, as the rabbit kept pulling himself. Until finally I managed to get a clearing for his foot that he manages to pull his foot.

"Can you hop?" I asked.

"Very slowly because of my foot!" he replied back.

"You need to rush yourself as much as you can! Go!" I than hurried off, as I tried to calmly instructed him to leave. He than hurried off, as he was limping on his back foot. We climbed over, where we dug Hickory and the children out, than we followed their scents to the exit. The rabbit was too exhausted that he wanted to stop, but I told him to keep moving, unless _The Black Rabbit_ would want to claim him. We passed through their burrow hall, until we found a back exit. The rabbit manages to get himself out, until a entrance blocked my path and I was stuck.

"Oh no!" I shook my head, as I started to dig myself out, until a rock fell on my head and knocked me out.

* * *

I felt like I was knocked out for hours and I wasn't sure when I was going to wake up. I started to feel something wet on my face, to only wake me up and it was raining. The construction vehicles stopped for the night, as I had no idea how I got out. The rain poured down hard, as a storm was here. I was able to stand up to see Redstone was gone. Gone... just like Sandleford.

 _Glad to see you at one piece._ I heard the voice, as I turned around to see _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_.

"It's you again."

 _Yes, Andrew. Everyone at Watership Down fears that you died._

"What?! Not again... I just survived, after saving Campion's life. Besides, I was only bonked on head this time."

 _Really, someone prayed for you to survive, in exchange for his life._ he spoke.

"Who?" I asked.

 _You'll find out soon enough._

"It can't be Hazel! It can't be!" I exclaimed.

 _Soon... after you complete your vision._

"Vision, I don't understand." I was unsure, until I felt something in my pocket. I pulled something out to see it was my switchblade.

 _If you want to find out, who prayed for you to live, I'll need you to claim a rabbit's life. Someone you may recognized previously before..._ he spoke, before he vanishes into black smoke.

I looked at my blade and I started to hear The Doors' _The End_ play from my phone... "Cowslip... he must pay, for the lives that could have been lost here." I held my switchblade tight, as I began to head for my way towards Cowslip's Warren to finish an unfinished business that Bigwig could have wanted more, while walking in the stormy night with lighting flashes and thunder strikes...

 _This is the end_  
 _Beautiful friend_  
 _This is the end_  
 _My only friend_

 _The end_  
 _Of our elaborate plans_  
 _The end_  
 _Of everything that stands_  
 _The end_  
 _No safety or surprise_  
 _The end_  
 _I'll never look into your eyes_  
 _Again_

 _Can you picture what will be_  
 _So limitless and free_  
 _Desperately in need of some stranger's hand_  
 _In a desperate land..._

 _To Be Continued..._


	109. Episode 33: Darkhaven Prologue

Darkhaven Prologue

Author's Note: I would like to thank Supernova2015 for his ideas for this prologue.

Out in the fields, as the morning came for a new day after a rainy storm. Tyler and Campion are in their final stages of training and Tyler is just about done and he'll be ready to confront with Woundwart and Vervain. However, Tyler was giving Campion lessons too from martial art skills that Tyler learned back when he was a human boy.

"You done well, Campion." Tyler commended Campion.

"Same to you. You ready to show me what you learned?" Campion commended to Tyler also.

"I sure do. But first... a little music to go with it."

"And what's that?" Campion wondered.

Tyler turned on his Zune HD player and cued a song: _Kung Fu Fighting_ by Cee Lo Green. He was than taking some deep breaths, before he was ready to finish his training. Just as soon the first chorus of the song came, he than started to show Campion the lessons that he learned from him. From doing roll kicks and tackles that Campion learned and even taught Pipkin as well.

 _Everybody is_  
 _Kung Fu Fighting_  
 _Your mind becomes fast_  
 _As lightning_  
 _Although the future_  
 _Is a little bit frightening_  
 _It's the book of your life_  
 _That you're writing_

 _You're a diamond in the rough_  
 _A brilliant ball of clay_  
 _You could be a work of art_  
 _If you just go all the way_  
 _Now what would it take to break_  
 _I believe that you can bend_  
 _Not only do you have to fight_  
 _But you have got to win_

 _Everybody is_  
 _Kung Fu Fighting_  
 _Your mind becomes fast_  
 _As lightning_  
 _Although the future_  
 _Is a little bit frightening_  
 _It's the book of your life_  
 _That you're writing_  
 _You are a natural_  
 _Why is it so hard to see_  
 _Maybe it's just because_  
 _You keep on looking at me_  
 _The journey's a lonely one_  
 _So much more than we know_  
 _But sometimes you've got to go_  
 _Go on and be your own hero_

 _Everybody is_  
 _Kung Fu Fighting_  
 _Your mind becomes fast_  
 _As lightning_  
 _Although the future_  
 _Is a little bit frightening_  
 _It's the book of your life_  
 _That you're writing_

 _You're a diamond in the rough_  
 _A brilliant ball of clay_  
 _You could be a work of art_  
 _If you just go all the way_  
 _Now what would it take to break_  
 _I believe that you can bend_  
 _Not only do you have to fight_  
 _But you have got to win_

 _'Cause everybody is_  
 _Kung Fu Fighting_  
 _Your mind becomes fast_  
 _As lightning_

After the song was over, so as was the final lesson. Campion was impressed of Tyler's fighting skills. "Spot on Tyler. You're definitely ready to face Woundwart and especially Vervain."

"Indeed." Tyler stopped the music on his player. "And soon enough, we'll be ready to head on for home."

 _Not so fast!_

A voice came out of no where that Campion and Tyler went into their defensive stances, as they looked around to see who it could be. "Someone must have know we're here."

"Perhaps, I could get the message sent out to Hazel and the others, if something is about to happen to us." Tyler than called for The Message Bird, and he started to speak to the bird to pass a message. Just as soon he finishes and the bird flew off. They turned around to see a tough looking doe with a feather on her ears with two strong bucks beside her.

"You two are under arrest and we'll be taking you to... Darkheaven." the doe spoke.

 _To Be Continued..._


	110. Episode 33: Darkhaven Part 1

Darkhaven Part 1

I exited out of the Warren of Shining Wires... absolutely silent. Without a word, as The Doors' _The End_ song continued to play in my head. _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_ had me sent to the warren, only to claim Cowslip's life, as the rabbits of that warren just disperse to the wild. They're free... but confused. I couldn't guide them to the down, as I was traumatized from what I have done. However, I felt something was with me beside me. It wasn't the multi-headed elephant heads from _Dumbo_ nor _The Black Rabbit_... but much worst. I continued to walk aimlessly in the rain, as I was starting to have amnesia. Until, I was starting to walk down the same path I took from when I left what was left of Redstone. As I was walking, I looked down at my hands to see blood on my hands and my switchblade covered in blood. Not a single drops of rain water would clean it off, or even closing my eyes and opening them. It won't go away.

 _What I have done? This is not me?_ I said to myself, as I looked up to the sky and the rain fall upon me. _I don't know, who I'm. I'm falling... falling... falling... to the dark._

"Yes... fall into the dark. Not a single friend could save you." a very low chipmunk female voice came.

The haunting and frightening voice started to make me go _tharn_. Terrified that a rabbit could go _tharn_ whenever it encounters something dangerous, but it what I saw was more horrifying than _The Black Rabbit_. I turned my head to see a woman in a black attire, with black hair and widen eyes. Described as a monster, that a curious child would probably see in a scary horror, picture storybook back in elementary school. My heart pounds, as I was too terrified to speak and my body went cold.

"All you need to do is to end yourself... you'll be free. You won't have to see me again."

Something took control of me, as I lifted my hand with my switch blade and I was about to cut my wrist.

 _Andrew, what are you doing?! Stop it!_ a voice was calling out to me that it was sounded like Hazel's, but different.

"Do it... you won't have to fear any more."

 _Andrew, we thought you were dead!_ another voice came, as a flash of lightening disoriented the voice.

"No one is here, but me... do it!"

I was too terrified that I couldn't do it. The creature grabbed my arm, that has my switchblade, and impaled me in the stomach. My body got more colder, as I was in the brick of death. I fell onto the ground and squirmed. My eyes began to go blurry, as I see two rabbits heading towards me. It wasn't until the horrified woman blocked my path from seeing them. She got down with her face _tharnning_ me, as she began to crawl towards me.

"You'll never see your friends and your family again. You'll spend eternity of seeing me... forever in Hell." her eyes were still widen, as she made me shiver and I couldn't close my eyes.

I try to cry for help, but my mouth was silent and rattle for my own death, as she got to my face and my eyes began to widen.

"The Horror... the horror..." I could only say, until the horror creature roared at me and everything went black.

* * *

After my vision went black, I thought I killed myself and I was about die. I wouldn't be able to go back to help the Rabbits of Watership Down. I wouldn't help Sandy return home. I won't see Campion and Tyler return back to the warren. I knew what I have done... I feared that I was going to die and perish in the flames from the horrible sin that anyone could commit.

My eyes opened. I could see I was underground, on my pillow and blankets. Still feeling a bit of pain, but I was able to sit up straight. I turned over and jumped back quickly to think, if it was the horrible eye widened, black haired woman. Until I got close... it was only Sandy peacefully asleep. I stood up, as I still felt bit from my gut. I wasn't myself, as I began to wander aimlessly at the tunnels of the warren, until I arrived at the Honeycomb. I couldn't breath, as my fear rises, if the woman would come back and haunt me.

"Andrew?"

A voice called for me. I didn't want to look, who it was, but I stopped, as I faced the other tunnel that leads outside. I simply froze, as a statue and never respond to the call.

"Andrew, it's me. It's me, Hazel." the voice belonged to Hazel, as I was in a paralysis state.

"How is the chap?" another voice came and thought it could be Bigwig, as it was tough.

"He's doing alright, Captain Holly. Glad you found him out in the storm." Hazel respond.

"Thank _Frith_ , if I haven't pray to _Frith_ , you could have been gone to _The Black Rabbit_." I turned to see Hazel and Captain Holly. The most shocking surprise was to see Holly appeared to be younger, unlike his middle to the near of the same age as Captain Broom.

"Captain Holly?" I questioned.

He chuckled. "My new look."

 _Is that him? The one rabbit, who prayed for my safety?_ I thought to myself in my head.

"You need to get some rest. We could escort you back to your burrow." Hazel was about to grab me by the paw, but I reject it. "Andrew?"

I stood there in silent, as I began to remember back in Redstone's destruction. I managed to help save Hickory and the children, as well a trapped rabbit. Until I was alone and trapped in the doomed warren... alone.

"You left me to die?"

"I beg your pardon?" Hazel questioned.

"You heard me... you all. You all left... me to die."

"I don't understand." Hazel became puzzled.

"YOU KNOW DAMN WELL, YOU UNDERSTAND!" my outburst jumped Hazel and Holly. "You and Bigwig, left me to die, after saving a rabbit trapped in the rubble. The rabbit managed to get out, but for me... I was trapped! I attempt to dug myself out, until I was hit on the head and passed out. I woke up to see Redstone gone! And _The Black Rabbit_ came to me again!"

" _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_? You did mentioned before you see him before." Hazel remembered my previous encounter.

"Yes..." I said, before I was starting to sob into tears.

"Andrew, I'm sorry." Hazel apologized.

"I was scared... Unknowingly, I wandered in the rain with my switchblade. Not knowing where I was going until I found myself in Cowslip's Warren... and I don't remember what goes on."

Hazel was for out of words and didn't know what to think or say. "You send him to _The Black Rabbit_ , didn't you?" Holly than questioned.

I looked back at him in shock. "How did you know?"

Holly sighed. "The blood you were covered... it was Cowslip's."

"My anger turned onto him, as my vision foresee what I was about to do. Silverweed is gone with Woundwart and Vervain. I had no choice to kill Cowslip and the rabbits of that cult-warren were free. However, _The Black Rabbit_ , didn't controlled me to kill Cowslip."

"Than who did?" Hazel asked.

"A woman in black attire with long black hair and widen eyes. I seen it before-" I cried and shivered from thinking about the creature. "Oh my God. What's happening to me?! I'm sorry!"

The two came comforted me, with their paws on my shoulder. "I can't show my face around with my parents, if I have a troubled mind and committed an act of violence!"

"It's not true! You never heard any rabbit, except protecting us. Ever since you rescued my little brother and Pipkin at the crossing. Protecting us from Woundwart." Hazel assured me.

"What about Cowslip than?"

"You know he was dangerous and it had to be done." Holly spoke. "You did what you had to do."

"But not like this, being force to beat and stab the rabbit. The 'horrifying woman' whispered to me and told me to commit it." I teared up. "I was too selfish that I never checked on the Redstone survivors."

"Everyone escaped, including Hickory and a fellow rabbit you rescued." Hazel informed me. "And everyone of them is staying with us." Relieved, I started to feel too much weight of joy and sadness that I started to gasp for air.

"I need air... I'm starting to become dizzy." I started to become dizzy from the stress and trauma that I experienced.

"Come. The storm is still raging, but we could get you outside." Holly and Hazel picked me up.

* * *

The three of us went through the tunnel and arrived at the entrance of our warren. The rain continued to pour, I wanted to step outside, because the rain provided the clean air that I wanted. I walked outside, as Hazel and Holly wanted my assistance, but I politely refused. I walked until I was no longer underneath the tree branches, as more rain continued to fall down upon me. I was starting to become relieved, as the rain washes the sins of my past.

"God is in the rain." I quoted from _V For Vendetta_ , when Evey was out in the rain, after she was released from her capture. I stretched my arms and spread them wide. I chuckled in joy that I felt I was a new man, until I was relaxed. My legs began to wobble that I was about to fall. Hazel and Holly caught my fall. After my fall and minutes out in the rain, I was too tired to say anything.

"Please, Andrew. You have to rest." Holly suggested.

I lightly smiled and nodded my head. They took me back inside the warren, as I was too weak to walk. They carried me back to my burrow, as I than managed to lie on my bed. I shivered from the cold, wet rain that showered upon me.

"Hazel, I'll stay with him for the night. I'm sure Primrose would need you." Holly decided to stay with me.

Hazel nodded his head. "Goodnight Andrew."

"Goodnight... Hazel." I said back weakly, as Holly lie on top of me to keep me warm.

"Now get some sleep, you'll see us in the morning." he spoke, as he than fall sleep.

I closed my eyes and fell fast asleep, even my recent events from Redstone's Destruction to apparent attempt of my life. I wanted to forget about what happened and decided to sleep through it, tonight.


	111. Episode 33: Darkhaven Part 2

Darkhaven Part 2

Author's Note: Hello everyone, I'm sorry if I lagged behind the TV Series Remake. I understand you were longing for the next part of the latest episode Darkhaven. Also to let you all know, that I'm completely finished with the Watership Down Miniseries Remake. If you haven't yet, I recommend to read it, for those who have already seen the Miniseries either on the BBC and/or Netflix. Hopefully, you enjoyed reading the Miniseries Remake like watching the Miniseries. Now, here's the next part of Darkhaven and Stay Tuned For More!

I woke up in the next morning and not have a slightest dream from the previous night. I continued to feel unease from my visit to _The Warren of Shining Wires_ , to only assassinate Cowslip. I wasn't for sure if it was the headache or the queasy stomach. I started to walk slowly, as I was taking easy steps. As I was walking, I nearly stumbled upon Pipkin and his Junior _Owsla_.

"Oh, good morning Andrew." Pipkin greeted with a salute, as well as the other kittens saluted.

"Good morning, you all. _Tail-Tag_ I see..." I spoke.

"Are you alright? You don't seem very well." Pipkin asked.

"Yeah, you were gone since yesterday." Gilia added.

"Yeah..." I touched my forehead and felt like I was about to have a headache or a fever.

"Why don't you, young ones run along." a voice came not far. We turned to see Captain Holly coming towards. "Andrew, had a long night."

"Alright, Captain Holly sir." Pipkin saluted with his fellow Junior _Owsla_. Before he left with the others, he turned back to look at us, especially Captain Holly. "Say Captain Holly, why are you looking so different?"

I chuckled, to hide my laugh.

"It's a long story, lad. Off you go." Captain Holly simply dismissed it, before Pipkin hurried off with the rest of the kittens. "How are you feeling?" he than turned towards me and asked.

"I'm feeling okay. Just had a rough night." I spoke. "I needed to come out for some fresh air."

Captain Holly nodded, as he tagged along with me. We came outside to see Hazel and Bigwig are having a meeting with the _Owsla_. Hannah was continuously pulling Hazel's tail to get attention.

"You'll have to wait for your turn, Hannah." Hazel told her, before speaking to the _Owsla_. "Hawkbit, you'll cover up all the tracks around the warren."

"That's no small order, Hazel." Hawkbit said.

"No, but it needs doing. We got a bit slack when we thought Woundwart was gone."

"Some of us did." Bigwig added.

"Right, off you go then. Make our warren invisible." Hazel dismissed Hawkbit, Dandelion, and Strawberry, as they were given assignments to cover tracks from previous patrols.

"Hazel... can I ask ya?" Hannah asked Hazel.

"Patience." He told her. "Bigwig, we need a complete review of warren defenses. Fiver will help you with that. Broom, you'll be in charge of training. Everyone has to know what to do, if Woundwart turns up."

Everyone else left to do their tasks, which was given to Hazel. He than noticed me and Captain Holly. "Right on time, you two."

"'Right on time?' I missed a meeting." I was disappointed.

"It's alright, you had a rough night."

"Hazel!" Hannah exclaimed, as she's been trying to get his attention to her.

"Sorry Hannah, what is it you wanted?" Hazel turned over to Hannah.

"I need something to do." Hannah pleaded. "I'm like a fifth leg around here lately."

"With Kehaar gone. There doesn't seem to be a lot you can do." Hazel regrettably stated.

"Oh well... I'll just hang about here than."

"And perhaps, you should get some rest Andrew. It'll do you good." Hazel stated, as he turned back at me.

"Rest? I just get up and I'll probably feel better at the end of the day." I disagreed.

Hazel was no fool, on how I took it. "Captain Holly, perhaps you'll just have to make sure he doesn't wander off or do much, until he's better."

Captain Holly nodded. My guess is that he'll be my caretaker, until I'm all better and back on my feet. I wasn't too happy with it, because I wandered off after barely escaping from Redstone (or which it was Redstone, before it was destroyed).

* * *

I didn't want to go back inside the warren, so I decided to distance myself away from everyone. I stayed nearby the warren and moped about Hazel's decision to consider me sick. Captain Holly went off to help Captain Broom train rabbits to learn about combat. I pulled out my phone and started to go through pictures of my family. I was becoming homesick and longed to return to my home and see my family.

Out of nowhere, a acorn came out of no where. Hannah came towards it and noticed me sitting alone. "What's with your ears? At least you're able to help them."

"Well... temporarily I can't right now. Because I'm somewhat sick. According to Hazel." I answered.

"At least you're lucky, with Kehaar gone, I'm only a simple mouse roaming around with rabbits." she than kicked the acorn.

I sighed. "I'm ready to go home. It's too painful now, that I'm away from my family long enough. However, I don't know my way to start. Even I couldn't tell if _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_ knows about it."

Hannah continues to kick the acorn, until she kicked it hard that it went far and knocked a animal off his/her feet. Apparently, the animal rolled downhill and was heading towards Hannah.

"Yona! It's me... watch it!" Hannah recognized the hedgehog. Luckily, Yona stopped in time, before bumping into Hannah.

"Oh, hello deary! Nearly injured you, I did." Yona greeted.

"No harm done. Not that anyone had notice, if there was." Hannah spoke.

"Oh... somebody's down in the mouth."

"Hi, Yona. How have you been you been?"

"Alright, deary. Just smelling flowers." she spoke. "Now... what's wrong with you Hannah? I've never seen you that down."

"Woundwart's alive. Maybe coming back to destroy Watership Down." Hannah answered.

Yona gasped. "Oh no..."

"It's true. They just took a warren and now it's desolated... destroyed. Now we're just defending ourselves to the end." I added.

"And all I'm good for is kicking acorns." Hannah sadly stated.

"Well, you could always throw them." I suggested and Yona giggled.

"It's not funny at all!" Hannah exclaimed.

"Of course not. I didn't mean for it as a joke, but you could that. Or what you did Bigwig months back... pulling their whiskers."

Hannah finally giggled. "That were bit of good times. Still, I'm small and I can't be able to help you all."

"That's not true! Everyone is capable to do anything. No matter how small. Or at times big." I tried my best to cheer up Hannah, as I forgotten about my downs.

"Oh... it's a hard thing to find yourself useless." Yona stated.

"Sometimes, I wish I was big as a horse. Then I show them." Hannah wished.

I sighed. "Well maybe I could get that wish too... only if I was able to return home."

"Still searching for your way for home, eh?" Yona asked.

"You have no idea... anyway how do you know I was trying to find my home?"

She looked around to make sure no one is near us. Yona then had us come closer, as she was about to whisper to us a secret. "You two should know... sizes needn't be a measure of power. Not if you know the secrets of magic."

"Magic, witchcraft, spells? Really?" I questioned Yona. "I know there's been a lot of things happening to me that were miracles, but I don't think it's magic... for what I know."

Hannah, on the other hand scoffed. "There's no such thing as magic!"

"Says a Dursley." I whispered.

"Who?" she questioned.

"Hmmm?" I joked.

"Oh... there's magic alright. If you know where to find it." Yona said. Hannah and I looked at each other, before looking back at Yona. Hannah became more curious about magic than I'm that she went further.

"And where's that?" she asked.

"In the Hut of the Hedge Wizard..." Yona whispered to Hannah's ear.

"You mean to say... the same 'Hedge Wizard' that we staged a prank on Vervain?!" I questioned.

"Yes." she whispered to me.

"That's crazy! No offense, but..." I scoffed. "...I mean, how do you even say there is one?"

She pulled me gently by the ear, next to Hannah's. "...if you dare."

"I dare, I do." Hannah exclaimed.

"Wonderful!" Yona exclaimed. "I could show you the way and you could speak to The Hedge Wizard."

* * *

The two started to journey off, as I watching them go. Until they stopped and noticed that I wasn't with them. I was assuming that Hannah was probably the one, who wanted to know the most about The Hedge Wizard.

"Are you coming along, deary?" Yona asked me.

I was a bit hesitate of going, especially leaving the warren behind. More to worst, if Captain Holly caught me single-handedly, if he saw me leaving. I guess I had no other choice, but also to seek out for The Hedge Wizard, myself. Perhaps, The Hedge Wizard may know more of how I could get myself home. And so, I told them I was coming along, but I had to grab my gear.

I arrived back at the down to see the kittens still training for combat with other rabbits. They were being taught by Captains Holly and Broom. I quietly and quickly inside the warren's entrance. However, before I went further, I noticed Primrose and Blackberry were about to sneak off for some reason I don't know. Probably searching for Campion or volunteered themselves to know more about the enemy warren, Darkhaven. I simply let them go, as I went inside the warren to my burrow and started packing.

In the middle of my packing, I turned to see Captain Holly came into my burrow, giving me a jump scare. "Captain Holly?! What are you doing here?"

"Just coming to see how you are doing and..." he asked, before noticing that I was packing my gear up. "... you're leaving?"

"No... not yet anyway, since I'm trying to find my back." I answered.

"Than where are you going?"

"No where important... just going with Hannah for a patrol. We'll be back around the evening." I informed him. "We're trying to meet a 'Hedge Wizard'. Perhaps he/she could help me find my way back home."

"Alright, than let me come along with you. So at least you and Hannah are not alone." he decided to tag along with me.

"No." I refused.

He than gave me the luck that he wouldn't take "no" for a answer. "Let me along."

"No..."

He took a deep breath, as he was about to go serious. "If you don't let me come along, I'll inform Hazel and Bigwig in a instant."

I immediately stopped packing. "You wouldn't. I know you wouldn't, besides they've other worries to intend to."

"I'm sure, I'll be able to let him know. We can't risk of you leaving the warren and being recaptured again by Woundwart! I say, I come along with you or I'll inform Hazel-rah and Bigwig... and that's final!"

I sighed and took a deep breath. It took about a few seconds for me to decide: leave the warren and injuring a fellow rabbit, who has helped me before and recently found me from the storm, or let him tag with me and Hannah...

 _To Be Continued..._


	112. Episode 33: Darkhaven Part 3

Darkhaven Part 3

After finish packing, I decided to let up my mind for Captain Holly to tag along with me. We managed to meet up with Hannah and Yona at the edge of the down. The four of us started our journey to find The Hedge Wizard, as Yona was leading the way. Hannah seeks to meet with The Hedge Wizard for magic. I seek to know a way to get home back to my world. The four of us were now walking on a trail that people walk on during hikes.

"Strange, never seen a trail like this. Have you, Andrew?" Captain Holly asked me.

"Not that I seen like these ones. However, mostly I walked on stone or dirt trails." I answered. "Yona, do you know anything about this trail?"

"Yes, but very very old." she answered.

"Really? How old?" I asked.

"'Man' hasn't walked this trail since..." she than pointed at a oak tree. "...since that oak tree was just a acorn."

"Hmm... I don't know if it wouldn't be that long. Maybe so, if in case to make this trail a protected area." I assumed.

"'Protected'?" Captain Holly questioned.

"I mean that an area is off limits to human activity, such as hunting or even walking on this trail." I answered.

"Hey, you're a human and you're walking on a forbidden area." Hannah joked, as the others laughed.

"Well, you know being small as a rabbit doesn't mean, I always have to be stuck like this and wander off to places I never been too!" I exclaimed.

"Fine, fine, it was just a joke!" Hannah tried to calm me down.

I sighed. "I'm sorry... I'm probably just too eager or nervous of seeing this Hedge Wizard."

We than continued to walk on the trail, until Yona came to a halt. "Well... we're near The Hut of The Hedge Wizard. Still want to go on, Hannah?"

"We come this far... what about you Andrew? Are you still wanting to go?" Hannah stated, before turning her head at me.

"We did and there's no real point of going back." I answered. "What do you think, Captain Holly?"

"We'll have to hop forward." he simply answered.

"Alright, off we go than dearies." Yona stated, as we continued along the trail.

* * *

We reached towards the edge of the woods to see... what it looks like a small island, across the lake.

"Whoa... I never seen one, when I got here. Is it a bayou or something?" I wondered.

"It appears to be just marsh, wetland ahead." Captain Holly guesses.

"You'll find The Hedge Wizard over at the island." Yona pointed out.

"And how am I supposed to get over there?" Hannah asked. As we see it was a lake ahead.

"We could always swim towards it and have you be on Holly's back." I suggested.

Captain Holly cleared his throat that me look back at him, with him giving me a stern look.

"Just making a suggestion." I pointed out.

"This is as far as I could go. The rest is up to you dearies." Yona stated. "Best of luck and be careful..."

"Why's that?" I asked her, as she was about to depart from us and head for her home.

"Magic is a dangerous thing..." she gave us the one and only warning that I could believe at times that magic could be dangerous. Not that, I believe in it or not, it feels like there's always a price. A price to pay.

Hannah and I wondered still, as Captain Holly lowered his head. "Captain Holly? What do you make of this?"

He quickly looked back at us and looked sideways, as he was unsure. "I don't know. One way to find out."

We began to look around the edge of the lake to see a way for Hannah to get a across. Hannah found some lily pads that she could row herself like a boat. Captain Holly and I were having a hard time to find something that could keep us afloat, because the later goes very deep. We than came across with a good-sized tree branch that we could hold onto, while swimming.

"I just hope that we could keep ourselves afloat long enough to get to the other side." I hoped.

"We will for sure." Captain Holly readied himself, as his front paws are on the log.

"Ready Hannah?" I turned at her and she sighed.

"Times like this I miss good ol' Kehaar. We fly over there in a wink." she stated.

"I know... we all miss him. Just think, maybe someday, he may come by to visit one day perhaps. It may not be today or tomorrow, but hopefully soon." I kept up her spirits.

"Not to forget, you two had great times together in the air, either for fun and/or patrol." Captain Holly added, as we started to swim across, as Hannah rowed on the lily pad.

* * *

As Captain Holly and I swam, Hannah was pretty much having an easier time for herself to row. Holly and I started to feel tired, but we continued to swim with our back feet to keep up with her, until we reached ashore. The sun was about to set on the wetlands, but we managed to arrive at the island just in time. After getting onto shore, Captain Holly and I needed a short moment of rest from our tiring legs, before continuing. Hannah looked down at the trail and was determined to meet with The Hedge Wizard.

"Hedge Wizard here I come." she stated.

"Are you about ready, Andrew?" Captain Holly asked me.

"Yeah... just swimming and kicking my feet on the water... made me tired." I got myself back on my feet.

The three of us continued down on the trail, until we reached the end of a trail to see a wondrous sight. Hannah and Captain Holly had never seen a waterfall before.

"Ain't that a beauty right there." I was admired from the scenery. "Even being small, I see it differently."

"What is it?" Captain Holly asked.

"It's a waterfall. Water flows over a drop and falls into a stream or a river. If I was back on my human size, I may see it as a stream or a brook." I answered.

"Hedge Wizard... hello." Hannah started to look around for The Hedge Wizard. "Any wizards home."

"Haven't seen one that I know of." I thought.

"Maybe Yona gave us the wrong direction." Captain Holly suggested.

Hannah than sat down on top of a dome like shape. "Trapped. Hedge Wizard, my eye. I don't know why I listen to a thing that silly ol' Yona says."

The dome like shaped started to move and rose up to surface and yawned.

"What kind of creature is that?" Captain Holly asked.

"It's a turtle. They usually live by water." I answered.

After the turtle yawned, it started to go back on the water and swim, carrying Hannah on it's shell. "Stop! Mouse on board!" Hannah tried to stop the turtle. The turtle than rose it's head and noticed Hannah on it's shell.

"Where do you come from?" the turtle asked.

"Right now, I'm more worried where I'm going." Hannah answered.

"Oh yes, pardon. You see, you weren't there a minute from now." the turtle spoke, as she swam back to shore on the trail.

"I hope we didn't mean to intrude you ma'am. We're trying to find 'The Hedge Wizard'. Do you know, if there's one here?" I asked the turtle.

"Hmmm... 'The Hedge Wizard' you seek..." she smiled. "I'm afraid I haven't seen one."

"Oh... sorry Hannah." I apologized to Hannah.

"You're not to apologize, it's my stupid fault. Running off and dragging you and Captain Holly along, to look for easy answers to tough problems." Hannah stated.

"Well... at least we did try. We'll just have to head for home, before it gets dark." Captain Holly stated, before the three of us started to head for our way.

"I do wish you wouldn't go away angry, Hannah." the turtle spoke.

The three of us froze and turned back at the turtle. "Now how did you know my name?" Hannah asked.

"We've met haven't we?" the turtle spoke.

"Well, we haven't formally introduced ourselves yet." I chuckled. "My name is-"

"Andrew, isn't it?"

I couldn't believe my ears that she guessed my name. "Yeah... my name is Andrew. As you know this is Hannah and the rabbit next to me is Captain-"

"Holly. Captain Holly." she spoke.

I turned back at Captain Holly. "How did she know your name?"

"Not that we met before." he shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe it's the water behind my ears." Hannah tries to get the water out of her ears, as she couldn't believe that the turtle knew our names.

"So... ummm... so who are you?" I asked.

"I'm Hedge the Wizard. There, now it's all sorted out." the turtle introduced herself. "We've met again for the first time."

The three of us looked at each other, with more questions than answers. Maybe the first fact is that she's The Hedge Wizard. "Ohhh... my head hurts." Hannah began to have a minor headache.

"So, if you're The Hedge Wizard-"

"Hedge The Wizard, if you don't mind." Hedge spoke.

"I'm sorry, I mean Hedge The Wizard. We're been looking for you to find answers for us." I corrected her name and wondered if she could help us.

"What is your questions?" she asked.

"Well the first question is for Hannah..." I let Hannah go first.

"Well you see, Hedge. I'm seeking for 'The Magic'." Hannah spoke to Hedge The Wizard.

"Tell me... why do you need magic, Hannah? You life is full without it." Hedge asked Hannah.

"The rabbits, I lived with, are the bravest, most valiant souls I know of." Hannah answered. "But they have a terrible enemy."

"Woundwart." Hedge spoke.

"She even know Woundwart's name." I whispered to Captain Holly.

"Yes, and there's a special rabbit at the warren. One, who has visions." Hannah continues.

"Fiver." Hedge knew Fiver's name.

"Wait a minute." I stopped.

"Wait a minute, why?" Hannah questioned me.

"How do you even know there names? We could even quiz you for which rabbits, who live at the down. Even Holly's, but how do you know?" I questioned Hedge.

"I know the story. Only because you told it too me." Hedge smiled.

"I'm sorry... we never went fully far from telling you what's really going on, but-"

"Even your story, Andrew. The human, who enters The Rabbit's World." she added.

"Only because of a bump on the head. While trying to search for a way back to a village."

"With your friend, Michael. You two were travelling together to see the world, until you both got lost." she continued.

"If you know my story, am I alive or dead?" I asked.

"You're alright, but asleep. You're in a bed and waiting to be awaken." she stated.

"What do you mean?"

"See for yourself..." she had me looked over at the pond and the water began to ripple. I saw myself... in a bed with head-bandages on me, with tubes and I was asleep. I couldn't help, but put my hands on my mouth to see that I'm in a coma.

"Oh my God... I'm in a coma... that can't be true. It can't be!"

"I'm afraid so, my dear boy. Only you're in a brink of life and death. It depends you survive the attack." she stated.

"I don't want to survive from Woundwart's second invasion! I want to live! Next thing I know, is that I could be in a brink death in my hospital bed. I can't die like this! There- there has to be something I could do!"

"Afraid not. However, someone is willing to take your place, during combat."

"You mean he's going to fight Woundwart?" Hannah questioned.

"Yes." I couldn't believe what I was hearing and more revelations to come.

"Anyway, if Fiver's vision is true, I want to help when we face Woundwart and his Dark Army." Hannah said.

"And you want magic. I'll have to think on this. I'll give you an answer soon." Hedge said, before she went inside her shell.

* * *

We waited, as Hedge was thinking about giving magic to Hannah. Hannah felt it was vital, if it was to the victory of our battle against Woundwart. I was against because I know, if something happens like making a deal with someone unnatural, there will be consequences with a cost. We waited until it was night and the fireflies are starting to roam around us. We woke up to hear Hedge coming out of her shell.

"The cost is high for those using magic, Hannah." Hedge warned her.

"Hedge's right, Hannah. I don't think you should have anything that is magic. There's always consequences, if it was used." I warned her also.

"If it helps my friends, I'll pay it." Hannah confirmed her decision.

"I know... you maybe small, but your heart is as big as our planet." Hedge spoke.

"What's a planet?" Hannah asked.

"A celestial body that orbits around a star. For example, we're on Earth and we orbit around the Sun, which is a star." I answered.

"Oh, I thought we're on the island."

"We're, but... we're on planet Earth that has life, which it could be seas, land, islands, mountains, and many more life inhabitants on Earth." I told her.

"Just hold out your paw will you..." Hedge than instructed Hannah.

Hannah led out her paw. All the sudden, a swarm of fireflies gathered around Hannah, as Captain Holly and I watched. A firefly landed on Hannah's paw and she started to glow with miracles light. It lasted for seconds, until they flew away.

"Now... you have 'The Magic'. Use it only when all hope is gone." Hedge warned her.

"How does it work?" Hannah asked.

"Rub your paws together and say: _I call upon the wind to scream. The sky to crack. The Earth to quake. I summon powers from beyond and give myself for my friends' sake._ "

"I'll never remember all that." Hannah said.

"Good luck, Hannah and be brave." Hedge The Wizard was about to go into the water, but I had to ask her something important.

"Wait, Hedge! If she uses 'The Magic' would it affect me of going home?" I asked her.

"No... it'll only be a rabbit that would give up his life for yours and your friend, Sandy." Hedge answered.

"But who?" I asked, but it was too late, as she already went underneath the water to rest.

"Now, I have the magic. Now I could help everyone at Watership Down." Hannah cheered.

"Yes, but it'll cost you, your life! I know it wouldn't be you, but I wouldn't imagine to think it would Hazel, Fiver, or even Bigwig! I can't imagine them tossing their lives away for me to return home! They done enough!"

"Andrew..." I turned around and heard Captain Holly trying to speak to me, as we're heading for home. "...I am."

"What?"

"I'm the one, who met Hedge The Wizard and that's how I became younger." he stated.

"I thought you said, you prayed to _Frith_ to protect me." I thought.

"I did... however, I saw _The Black Rabbit of Inle_ in my dream. I made a deal with him."

"You what?!" I questioned. "You made a deal?!"

Captain Holly felt ashamed, but he was admitting to the truth. "We agreed to a deal that I become younger, only to give up my life for you and Sandy. For you two to return back to the Human World."

I was in shock, from hearing what Captain Holly has done... that I had no words to say. However, I couldn't tell if he would do it or not. Also, we won't know for certain, if it would occur or not...

 _To Be Continued..._


	113. Episode 33: Darkhaven Part 4

Darkhaven Part 4

Author's Note: I would like to thank both Supernova2015 and Gotham317 for their ideas for this part. And again, I apologize for the delay, as I was wrapping up _Watership Down: Necklace of El-Ahrairah_ (Watership Down Miniseries Remake). I also, understand that there are other stories that I needed to catch up on. Don't worry, I'll make sure I'll get to them.

The three began our journey for home. Hannah was thrilled that she has "The Magic", so she could save the warren. I found more about what has happened to me in the real world and found out that Captain Holly made himself younger by making a deal only to give himself up for me and Sandy. Captain Holly and myself didn't even exchanged each other with words, as we're heading for home. When we're halfway there, we stumbled across with Blackberry and Primrose.

"Primrose, Blackberry? What in _Frith's_ name you two doing out here late?!" Captain Holly questioned them.

"It's my fault, Captain Holly. I felt regret that we let Vervain go. We decided to see, if we could've track him down." Primrose apologized.

"At least you two are safe." I stated.

"Say... why you three are out here at night too?" Blackberry asked us.

Captain Holly couldn't get the words out of him. "We visited Hedge the Wizard and obtained-" The both of us hushed Hannah from speaking about "The Magic".

"We went out for a long patrol... basically to clear my head from my dreams and my sickness. However, I'm feeling better... sort of." I spoke.

"Well, I'm pleased to hear you're feeling better." Primrose said.

"It's best we all head for home, before _elil_ could find us." Captain Holly suggested.

We all nodded. Before we could head for our journey home, three rabbits jumped out from the bushes: Campion, Tyler and a doe with him, with other rabbits that tagged along with them.

"Campion! Tyler! What are you both doing here?" I was surprised to see their faces again. I still wondered about the rabbits with them.

"Go, get out of here!" Campion whispered to us.

"What do you mean go?" I questioned.

"No, Campion. This time, I stay with you." Blackberry refuses to leave Campion.

"Woundwart's here, Auntie Blackberry. We have to go now!" Tyler exclaimed. Two strong bucks came out of no where, except from a nearby bush.

"Well... well... what have we here." one of the rabbits spoke.

"Who are they?" I asked.

"Leave now and questions later! Let's move!" Tyler exclaimed, as we began to make a run for it.

We than split up, as I went with Blackberry and the others. Somehow, the both of us ended up being alone. Unexpectedly, a strong, but slightly skinny buck tackled Blackberry and held her down. I managed to intervene and attacked the rabbit, before knocking him unconscious.

"Oww!"

I turned to see Blackberry was being bitten on the ear by a _Owsla_ doe. "You try anything, I'll kill her."

"Andrew, you need to leave." Blackberry pleaded.

"No, I'm not leaving you!" I refused.

"Just go, I'll be fine!" she insisted.

I had no choice, but to leave her. I wasn't sure that there will be more enemy _Owsla_ bucks or does nearby. I came out of the bushes to see Bigwig and Tyler panting, as they defeated two enemy _Owsla_ bucks. Another patrol was nearby, that Campion engaged combat with Bigwig.

"Campion, what are you doing?!" Tyler questioned.

"Hit me, Bigwig. Hard." Campion whispered to Bigwig. Bigwig seemed to be a bit hesitant, until he did a powerful kick that made Campion flew to another enemy buck coming out. The two defeated bucks woke up from unconsciousness and were ready for more combat.

"Run! They're too big, retreat!" Hazel ordered all of us to move out.

We all started to run, as he than realized that with Tyler were more rabbits from the enemy rabbits. However, they were bit timid, as they were following Tyler's orders to follow Hazel. We came up to a bridge crossing just ahead, after leaving the woods. Just as soon we're on the bridge, it started to raise, for a boat coming by.

"We'll have to jump, it's the only way!" I told them, as we looked back to see Campion with another buck coming after us.

"I can't!" Fiver feared. Bigwig did a hard headbutted Fiver enough for him to get across, before the rest of us jumped across safely. As soon everyone got across, they looked around to wonder where's Blackberry. I sadly pointed out that she's been taken by the enemy warren. Tyler is willing to inform us about the enemy warren, when we arrived back at the down.

* * *

When we arrived back at the down, we saw Hawkbit and Dandelion were sleeping outside, more likely just waiting for us. Tyler recognized Hawkbit right away and he rushed towards him, as the two share a warm, embracing reunion.

"TYLER! You're back!" Hawkbit was amazed to see his son.

"I am Dad." Tyler stated, as he noticed there were more rabbits coming behind Tyler.

"What happened?" he asked.

"We have more rabbits joining us."

Hawkbit and Dandelion than noticed someone they knew is missing. "Where's Blackberry?"

"Call a gathering, Tyler will tell us what we're up against than, Hawkbit." Hazel answered and told him to get everyone gathered at the Honeycomb.

"And where were you lot been?" Dandelion questioned Hannah, Captain Holly, and myself.

"Learning 'The Magic'." Hannah answered with a smile.

"Really? Show us a trick than."

"When the time comes..." Hannah than entered inside the warren. Hawkbit and Dandelion turned towards me and Captain Holly.

"What was that about?" Dandelion asked us.

The both of us know, but we won't reveal it, as we kept it to ourselves. When everyone is present, Hazel got everyone's attention. First, he announced the return of Tyler from his training, second newcomer of rabbits arrived with Tyler. Most of the new-coming rabbits were eager to start a new life here, except one doe by the name of Hyzenthlay. She looked around and she doesn't seemed to trust us. Two rabbits were trying to quick glance at her: Bigwig and Captain Holly. I really hoped there wasn't going to be a "Mortal Kombat" over a doe.

Hazel than informed everyone that Blackberry is kidnapped by strongest rabbits that we ever faced, unlike _Efrafa_. At that point, he turned over to Tyler, as he was going to inform us more about the rabbits we faced.

"Those are rabbits are more tougher than _Efrafa_ rabbits. We ended up experiencing this after being captured by a group of _Owsla_ bucks and does, under Spartina." Tyler began with his story...

* * *

After our capture, we hopped for miles until we found a construction site that humans are trying to build or industrializing some sort. We saw strongest rabbits that we never seen before. Perhaps even stronger than General Woundwart. Their warren is called Darkhaven. It was much worst than _Efrafa._ We saw both bucks, but mostly does being kept as prisoners. As we're being settled and hopping, along with the smell of rusty cars, I began to hear someone singing. I could've sworn that... I heard someone singing, that I decided to go investigate. As I listened closely, it sounded like the song _Hallelujah._

 _I did my best, it wasn't much_

 _I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch_

 _I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you_

 _And even though it all went wrong_

 _I'll stand before the Lord of Song_

 _With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah_

I followed the voice, as it was getting louder and louder, until... I saw a bunny, about my age and height. Her fur however, is white as snow. Her voice was none other than like a angel.

 _Hallelujah, Hallelujah_

 _Hallelujah, Hallelu-_

 _Hallelujah, Hallelujah_

 _Hallelujah, Hallelu-_

 _Hallelujah_

As she finished singing, she started breathing normally.

"That was beautiful." I came up to her and complimented her.

The bunny startled, as she looked in my direction. "Uh... thanks?"

"You know, you could amuse a whole warren with that voice of yours."

The bunny became blushed. "You really think so?

"No kidding. Heck, I once sang a song during _The Feast of Frith_ , and everyone was in awe." I answered and recalled about singing during the _Feast of Frith_.

"Wow."

"Say... that song… was that _Hallelujah_ I heard." I told her about the song.

"Indeed it was. I remember singing it all the time back when I was just a human kid." she recalled.

From what she said was very surprising. "Hold on. Did you say 'human'?" The female bunny nodded. "Funny enough. I used to be human too."

"Sweet. Finally someone to actually hold a conversation with." she was relived.

"Agreed." And so, our conversation went on like there was no tomorrow. However, the more we talked, the more we could not shake the feeling… as if we know each other from somewhere.

"Say... you look familiar. Have we met?" I asked.

"You mean besides now? I don't know." she answered.

Just then, the female bunny remained still, as I looked into her eyes. She was a little concerned, however little crept out. "It's kinda rude to stare you know."

"Those eyes. I didn't seen those kind of perfect shining orbs since…" I said, until my face fell from realization. It had to be… "Taylor?"

The female bunny was confused.

"Is that really you?"

"How do you know my name? Do I know you?" she asked.

"It's me. Tyler." I answered and nodded my head.

She became curious, as she studied my face. "Tyler?"

I nodded with a smile. She was amazed and thrilled to see my face again. I haven't seen her for a long time, since the accident. She eventually told me that she suffered the similar fate, as I did. However, she ended up here in Darkhaven and being watched by Spartina.

* * *

Later, we met up with Campion as he's about to prepare for the next battle. The three of us encountered General Woundwart and Vervain. I couldn't believe that Woundwart lived, but I knew from what I have been told about Vervain. Taylor stood close to me, as she was frightened a bit from seeing Vervain.

"I'm surprised to see you again alive, Taylor." Vervain greeted her.

"You and Vervain... you two know each other? I looked at Taylor and asked her.

"Unfortunately, but at least Woundwort was kind enough to spare me." she whispered to me.

"Just like he spared me."

General Woundwart, on the other hand, turned towards me and recognized me right away. He was in shock to see me alive. "Tyler, is that you?"

"In the fur, sir." I answered.

"What happened to you? You look like you fought a entire family of weasels." he asked.

"It is kind of a long story, sir."

And so, we would have a brief, decent chat, talking about how they have been, and then... when he really asked me, how I became like this.

"Why?" I questioned, as Woundwort looked at me a little concerned.

"Why what?" he questioned.

"Why did you send Vervain after me?"

"Vervain?" he than turned over to Vervain, even he was surprised that I still remember what he did to me.

"The last time we saw each other, I was on my way home, after training with your soldiers. It all happened so fast. In one moment, I got over the bridge and the next moment... Vervain took me by surprise.

"Took you by surprise?"

I nodded. "He then started to take me out the best he could, along with trashing my Zune." Woundwort was very concerned about me. As I kept on going, I could see he was getting more and more angry for some reason. "And... I haven't told you the worst part, right after I told him where the Down is." Woundwort cooled down a little, not wanting to let his entire anger out on me, still seeing me as a worthy opponent. He nodded, wanting to hear the worst part, and quick as a flash, I said... "He told me... that you gave him the order to attack me."

There was nothing but silence after that. Or at least I thought, as Woundwort then say angrily... "VERVAIN DID WHAT?!"

"It's all true, sir. And to think that I actually believed him. Took me a while to actually doubt that you would do such a thing to me." I said.

"General, I only followed him to know where the warren that Hazel, Fiver, and of course Bigwig lived." Vervain stuttered.

"IT GIVES YOU NO EXCUSE TO ATTACK SOMEONE, WHO IS A WORTHY OPPONENT. WITHOUT MY AUTHORIZATION!" General Woundwart roared, as Vervain scooted away from him. General Woundwart looked back at me and decided that I have to prove myself again as his "Worthy Opponent". "In order to gain back, my respect of you Tyler, perhaps you and your friend could be able to combat against... Captain Vervain."

Vervain scoffed and surprised, out of fright. "Two against one?! NEVER!"

"Sorry, Vervain, but you mess with me... you mess with both of us." I exclaimed.

Taylor steadied herself from her fright and joined by my side. "Just like the old days, huh, bro?"

"Agreed, sis. HIT ME!"

Taylor started scrolling through the screen of my ZUNE, only to find what seemed suitable. "JACKPOT!" She hit play, the ZUNE starting to play _Don't Stop Me Now_ by Queen. The both of us engaged into combat.

* * *

"And so... I was still considered as the 'Worthy Opponent', according to General Woundwart, after defeating Vervain. However, during our stay in Darkhaven, Taylor told me that there were prisoners here. Especially, does like Hyzenthlay and others. They were under watched by the Darkhaven _Owsla_ , the ones that you encountered. They're very strong, even one of the does as well, by the name of Spartina. But now, if General Woundwart are here... they're more likely to have Darkhaven be our next enemies." Tyler finishes telling us about Darkhaven.

"We'll have to prepare ourselves and of course, getting Blackberry out of Darkhaven." Hazel added.

Tyler shook his head. "It was a bit easier for us, but since if Woundwart is there, it may be more difficult."

"What do you mean by that?" I finally spoke.

"There was a rabbit with General Woundwart and Captain Vervain. He was silver, but he's very timid, but calm and neutral. However, he seems to have something about him that we needed careful..."

We wasn't sure what Tyler meant about the silver rabbit that was with Woundwart and Vervain. He/she maybe dangerous to us, depending which side is the rabbit on... or basically used for the Woundwart's purposes to destroy us...

 _To Be Continued..._


	114. The Eyes of Silverweed Prologue

The Eyes of Silverweed Prologue

Everyone was relieved that Tyler has returned to Watership Down with more rabbits to join us from Darkhaven; and one of them has to be his close, childhood friend. The downside was that Blackberry was kidnapped and it was my fault. I could have rescued her, but instead fled to avoid another capture. During nearly every night now, that I keep getting horrible dreams of Blackberry being taken away and probably to be executed. However, I always wake up to see it was only a dream and can't tell if she's alive or not. I feel more guilty than I failed to take care of Lush, the _Efrafan_ _Owsla_ buck who was abandoned by his own bucks.

One night, as I was sleeping, I felt like I was fallen into a trance. I felt like I was nearly wake, but I had no control of myself, alike to taking out Cowslip. This time was different. I walked out of the warren at dawn and went downhill, from the fields to the woods. From there, I found a peg nearby. I was trying to wake myself, but I couldn't feel any control on my arms and legs. I followed the wire to find the noose. My eyes than turned to see the woman I saw before in my dream, with a black attire, with black hair and widen eyes.

"You're to be blamed for every fault you have done... you must end your life... when you do, I will go away." her low chipmunk voice spoke. In a flash, I found myself in a snare and I was being tightened. I started to choke from the wire around my neck. I than saw General Woundwart smiling with The Monster.

"Now, you'll won't be able to return home..." Woundwart chuckled into his evil laughter.

I started to struggle like a rabbit, being trapped into a snare. Not a single rabbit was coming to my rescue. I was starting to lose my breath quickly, as I continued to struggle and tried to shout for help.

"There's not a single rabbit to help you... you're going to Hell and you're mine..." The Monster walked towards me and got close to my face.

I began to hear someone trying to speak to me, as The Monster began shaking me.

 _I'm sorry human... I'm not trying to hurt you... I'm being forced to hurt you._

I didn't get the catch or recognition of the voice, but it sounded like someone is making me have this dream or maybe dreams...

* * *

"Andrew... Andrew wake up!" another voice came, as I continued to scream and struggle. Everything went black, as if my eyes were closed and I continued to struggle like being afflicted by something dark. I continued to feel like I was being choked and now I'm also starting to feel like I was burning from my legs to my chest.

"Andrew, you're dreaming! Please wake up!" I heard another voice pleading to me.

"I can't see! I'm burning and I'm feeling a wire around my neck!" I screamed and begged for help. I continued to struggle, as it was going on for minutes and thought it would be torment forever.

"Andrew, wake up."

I gasped into sweat and my eyes finally opened up to see Sandy next to me, along with some rabbits: Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig, Tyler, and Captain Holly. I breathing so quickly that I was about to lose my breath.

"Steady on, Andrew. Slow breathes." Captain Holly advised me, as he came towards me and placed his paw on my shoulder.

"What... what happened?" I asked, as I was trying to take some slow breaths.

"You were shaking in your sleep, until you screamed." Sandy answered.

"A horrible nightmare." Tyler pointed out.

I shook my head, as I covered my face. "I don't understand why I'm having these horrible dreams."

"We all get them, Andrew. Sometimes." Fiver added.

"Well... I guess I'll try to think of something good, if I can." I lie back down on my bed.

"Why don't I stay behind and make sure you're alright. Just for the night." Captain Holly spoke.

Hazel and the others nodded, before they left the burrow and Captain Holly came towards my side. "Perhaps it maybe better that I should sleep in a separate burrow, for tonight."

From what Sandy said, as I was a bit heartbroken from her statement. "Oh please Sandy, I didn't mean to have you upset-"

"It's alright. I'm sure it's just for the night. So you won't have a nightmare like Andrew, for your safekeeping." Captain Holly assures her. She than nodded and left the burrow.

* * *

It was now between me and Captain Holly. I felt more guilty that I now started to let Sandy down. "I wish I wouldn't have to have these stupid dreams. So I won't have someone worry about them."

"I'm sure she's not upset at you. She's worried about you." Captain Holly spoke.

"How? She keeps seeing me like this for awhile. We're in a steady relationship and I'm obligated to make sure she's alright and comfortable."

"Dreams can't be controlled. It's only what you been thinking, that causes you to dream like this." he added.

I even started to remember of having dreams about work. Not the annoying dreams or mental pictures in your head, as you're trying to sleep and thinking about work in the next day. I used to dream about two of my co-workers shoplift and were surrounded by customers and associates. Even one dream of having a potential terrorist attack in our store of a dud bomb not going off. "I wonder how you managed to stop dreaming about your days finding us."

Captain Holly chuckled. "I'm surprised you still remember that. However, it's best not to think about the dreams, like I used to dream. Perhaps you should try not to think so much of tomorrow nor what to dream. Perhaps a good dream would come to you."

I smiled. "Like not having to think about the bad things that happens here."

He nodded with a warm smile.

"Thanks Captain Holly." I thanked.

He chuckled again. "Just call me Holly, whenever we're not around with the _Owsla_."

"Alright, Holly." I said. "Anyway, what about Hyzenthlay?"

"What about her?" he asked.

"Do you like her?" I asked.

"Well... when she first came, she's beautiful. However, I know someone else is trying to seek for her and I won't say who. It'll just bring trouble and turmoil between a buck and a buck to get his doe."

"I see... well I think we should get some sleep now." I added.

"Of course. Sweet dreams." Captain Holly spoke. I scooted over and rested on his side, surprisingly his fur was comfy to rest equally to Hazel's fur. I than managed to close my eyes and fall asleep.


	115. Episode 34 The Eyes of Silverweed Part 1

The Eyes Of Silverweed Part 1

Author's Note: I would like to thank Gotham317 for his idea for this episode.

I woke up in the morning to see Captain Holly was still asleep. It was comforting that he stayed with for the rest of the night. However, I hoped that Sandy wasn't upset from what I dreamed that kept her awake or worried throughout the night. I left the burrow to try to find her. Almost half of the warren is awake for a new day. After going through the halls and passing by a few burrows, I managed to find her alone and asleep. I entered the burrow and sat down close to her.

"Sandy?"

She began to wake up, as she looked up at me. "Andrew."

"Are you okay?"

She was a bit glum, as she woke. "Are you?"

"Somewhat... I just don't want to have another dream like it again. Did you sleep alright?" I answered, before asking her. She turned another way. "Sandy, what's wrong?"

"Are you dreaming these nightmares on purpose?" she questioned.

It was a dumbfounded question. I didn't know why she asked me that of a question. "Of course not. Why think like that?"

"Now since you came back and _The Black Rabbit_ revived you, you started to have horrible nightmares, than you either Hazel or Captain Holly stay with you. Like I'm not part of it." she stated.

I couldn't get upset at her, but I understand her frustrations. "I'm sorry Sandy, but at some instances I do stay by your side, when I have some bad dreams. Nightmares are different that I seek for someone like a friend or see someone like a parent to me."

"But they're not your parents! You have parents in our own world." she began to tear and shook her head. "It's like you never knew me."

Heartbroken from her state. "I've been with you since I met you in _Efrafa_ : about yourself, your family, especially your grandfather. I understand you're always been trying to get home. We're both going through it and been through a lot together."

She than reached into her pocket and grabbed a vial of some liquid. "What's that?" I asked.

"Something that could get us home. We both could go home now. We could be together forever." she stated. It was a offer that I can't refuse. However, since we have something that could bring us home. However, I can't leave The Rabbits of Watership Down behind to be defeated by Woundwart and his new army.

"You know I can't leave them. Especially in a time of need. They've been supportive to us, we have to return the favor." I had no other choice, but to politely refuse.

"It's them. I always know it." she teared.

"I love you." I stated. "I always have loved you since we got you out of _Efrafa_."

"I love you too." she stated back.

"Do you or do I?"

She looked back at me, in shock and disbelief. "What did you say?"

"Do you really love me?" I teared. "I've always gave you so much love since I met you, but do you love me? Do you really love me? Or to better ask, do you understand me? I never had much friends back in my world. Since they've been helping me, we formed a great fellowship to each other. They understand what I gone through back in my home. Do you?"

More tears fell from her eyes. She came face to face with me... and gave me a kiss. "I just hope that one day, if you're still here after all of this is over, you realize that you're choosing a life to be lonely... maybe forever."

I shook my head. "I will return home... after all of this is over." She than stepped back and was about to drink the vial. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." I assure her, as more tears fell from my eyes.

She drink the whole vial and gave me a tearful goodbye. She than started to disappear... until I knew it. She was gone.

I wasn't sure if it was breakup or just departing ways from the Watership Down world. I wasn't sure why she thought that I was selfish. I couldn't stop crying, although I kept it quiet without waking everyone else up. I had no other choice, but to cope and get on with my life... well I mean get through Woundwart and return home to get on with my life. I had my phone with me and headphones with me. I put on a Luke Bryan song to help me not scream...

 _Baby what are we becoming_  
 _It feels just like we're always running_  
 _Rolling through the motions everyday_  
 _I could lean in to hold you, or act like I don't even know you_  
 _Seems like you could care less either way_  
 _What happened to that girl I used to know_  
 _I just want us back to the way we were before_

 _Do I turn you on at all when I kiss you baby_  
 _Does the sight of me wanting you drive you crazy_  
 _Do I have your love, am I still enough_  
 _Tell me don't I, or tell me do I, baby_  
 _Give you everything that you ever wanted_  
 _Would you rather just turn away and leave me lonely_  
 _Do I just need to give up and get on with my life_  
 _Baby, do I_

 _Remember when we didn't have nothing_  
 _But a perfect simple kind of loving_  
 _Baby those sure were the days_  
 _There was a time our love ran wild and free_  
 _Now I'm second guessing everything thing I see_

 _Do I turn you on at all when I kiss you baby_  
 _Does the sight of me wanting you drive you crazy_  
 _Do I have your love, am I still enough_  
 _Tell me don't I, or tell me do I, baby_  
 _Give you everything that you ever wanted_  
 _Would you rather just turn away and leave me lonely_  
 _Do I just need to give up and get on with my life_  
 _Baby, do I_

 _Still give you what you need_  
 _Still take your breath away_  
 _Light up the spark way down deep, baby do I_

 _Whoa,_  
 _Do I turn you on at all when I kiss you baby_  
 _Does the sight of me wanting you drive you crazy_  
 _Do I have your love, am I still enough_  
 _Tell me don't I, or tell me do I baby_  
 _Give you everything that you ever wanted_  
 _Would you rather just turn away and leave me lonely_  
 _Do I just need to give up and get on with my life_

 _Tell me baby do I get one more try_  
 _ _Do I, baby do I__

* * *

When I got outside of the warren, it appeared that everyone was simply _silflaying_ near the warren. Some of the Darkhaven rabbits started to mingle with former Redstone rabbits. In one instant, I saw Bigwig _silflaying_ with Hyzenthlay and they were exchanging words about what they been through. Hyzenthlay spoke the most, as she was taken from her home warren and sent to Darkhaven. She commented the rescue, as if it was an act of true love.

"Remind me to avoid true love" Bigwig stated. As he's about to go on patrol, he accidentally bumped his nose on Hyzenthlay's nose. They glanced at each other, before turning away nervously. He than left with his _Owsla_ to go on patrol. I chuckled, before my heartbreak to think if it was me and Sandy.

"Andrew!"

I turned over to see it was Pipkin calling for me. I headed over to him and than I noticed Fiver twitching and turning, as he was groaning. "What's wrong with him?"

"I don't know, but he was like that when I saw him, as I came out of the warren." Pipkin answered.

"Fiver?" I tried to wake him up. He than shouted that jumped me a bit.

"NO! Stay away from him! He has nothing to do with it!" Fiver exclaimed.

"Fiver, Fiver wake up!" Pipkin tried to shake him gently to wake up. Fiver's scream stopped, as to say he was finally out of the dream. "Fiver?"

Fiver opened his eyes to see the both of us. "Pipkin, Andrew."

"Morning Fiver." I greeted with worry. "Are you alright?"

"You were twitching and moaning something awful. Was it another vision?" Pipkin stated.

He gasped, as he stood up and shook his head. "I don't know what it was."

"Whatever it is, it's over. Probably another nightmare. I'm sorry, if I gave it to you." I apologized.

"It's not your fault, Andrew. Do you remember hearing or seeing a rabbit that is silver?" he asked me.

"No, but I did hear someone was trying to tell me that he didn't want to hurt me, but he's being forced to." I answered. "I never saw the silver rabbit."

Fiver realized what I somewhat dreamed. "For your sake Andrew, you need to leave me be. For awhile."

"Why Fiver?" I asked, as he was heading inside the warren.

"Just do it. I don't want to you to get hurt from my dreams." Fiver insisted.

"It's not the dreams that hurts us, it's probably who or what in our minds." I told him.

He simply nodded. "Just try to let me be for awhile." He than headed back inside.

I sighed, as I sat down on the grass. I felt like I'm somewhat needed to be avoided. "What's wrong? You're not that cheerful this morning." Pipkin asked.

"I don't know, Pipkin." I answered. "Let's just say Fiver and I both been having dreams."

"I heard about it." Pipkin said. "Hopefully, it doesn't get to you again."

"Thanks Pipkin." I thanked him, as he went on his way to _silflay_.

* * *

I decided to head back inside the warren to my burrow to get some sleep. I came across with Hannah, as she was practicing to chant "The Magic". As she was practicing the chant, Hawkbit and Dandelion and watched it also, as they both gave me a friendly greeting.

"She's arguing with herself now, Dandelion. Not a good sign." Hawkbit teased, as he shook his head.

"Everyone talks to themselves once in a while." I stood up.

"It's all that pressure from being a magician and all." Dandelion giggled.

"Why don't I make you two disappear?!" Hannah stood up for herself.

The duos were not too convinced, especially Hawkbit. "Well, go on. Do it than."

"You're on your beat on about this ancient turtle, giving you magic. Prove it." Dandelion added.

"Magic is a matter of belief, not proof." she turned the other cheek and headed inside the warren.

"Oh, did you see that?" Hawkbit questioned.

"See what? She just went inside." I questioned him.

"She just disappeared. She is magic." Hawkbit mocked and the duos began to laugh. My eyebrow raised at the two, as I thought their joke was far-fetched and also have bits of worry of Hannah using the magic.

They stopped laughing to see me staring at them. "What? What? Don't you think it's funny?" Hawkbit questioned me.

"You two could be a real asinine sometimes." I boldly stated, before I went inside in the warren. As I kept going on my way to my burrow, I stumbled across with Hannah speaking to Fiver. She was going on about "The Magic Words", as if she would forget. When Fiver glanced at me, he started to shake.

"Silverweed..." Fiver mumbled in groan.

"What's he got to do with anything?" Hannah questioned him.

"Silverweed. You mean the rabbit from Cowslip's Warren?" I than remembered when we first saw Silverweed, he was reciting poems. Fiver gasped and quickly hopped away from us, as he accidentally bumped into Hannah and myself.

"Please stay with me. I mean it." I heard Fiver warned me.

"Fine be like that." Hannah moped.

"He's thinking of something else Hannah." I reasoned with her, before I continued my way to my burrow.

When I got there, it was quiet. Very quiet without Sandy. I than noticed that Captain Holly left the burrow, probably to assume that I was awake. I got onto my bed and tried to relax. Although, I haven't got that much sleep. I was too nervous to even close my eyes, as I looked at the burrow's entrance. Afraid that something lurking just right outside of my burrow that could come in and attack me. I simply buried myself inside my blankets and tried to go asleep...

 _To Be Continued..._


	116. Episode 34 The Eyes of Silverweed Part 2

The Eyes Of Silverweed Part 2

I than fell asleep, to only wake up once again in my burrow... but my burrow was shut. It was quite dark that I had to use my phone for light. The shining light from my phone than shown a door. It was weird that I never see walls, except dirt walls and roots. I reached for the doorknob and I opened the door. I than found myself at a local Wing-Stop restaurant. I haven't been in there, since me and my father would come in there sometimes to eat and shoot a game of pool. I looked over at the jukebox and it was playing _Came Here To Forget_ by Blake Sheldon. I than found myself sitting on a barstool and ordered myself a drink of lemonade. The fellow patrons turned their heads at me, from what I ordered before resuming their drinks. I was the only one ordering a non-alcoholic drink, as the rest have booze to forget about their troubles: work, bills, and/or maybe a steady relationship that ended suddenly and unexpectedly.

When I received my drink, I was asked if I was hungry. I didn't feel like eating anything, so they offered for refills if I needed it. I started to drink my lemonade and I couldn't stop thinking about Sandy leaving me and how I'm not even home. Although where I'm at now in my dream looks like home, but it's not. My stomach bubbled after finishing my drink, as the stress and the depression took hold of me with another song transitioning to _Any Ol' Barstool_ by Jason Aldean.

 _Andrew._

I heard someone calling for me. I looked around until I see Fiver sitting on the bar table, who came out of nowhere.

"Fiver? What are you doing here?" I questioned.

"I was dreaming a bit, until I found you." he answered. "What are you doing here?"

I raised my glass. "Drowning my sorrows... Sandy left."

"I heard about it. That's terrible." Fiver said with a sympathetic tone.

I shook my head. "Please don't tell me that I told anyone about this."

"No, I had a brief vision of it. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault... but mine." I said to him. "I was trying to do my best for our needs, including getting her home and of course helping you guys from Woundwart."

"Well, I'm sure things will turn around for you. You'll see." Fiver tries to cheer me up.

I nodded. "So Fiver, why are you wanting me to become distant from you?"

Fiver looked around, as if in case we're being watched. I got close to him, so he could whisper. "Silverweed is being forced to enter your mind with dreams."

"What?! That's ridiculous, how could someone enter a person's mind?" I doubted.

"Because he's trying to enter my mind." he answered. "So it's best that we could meet each other in dreams."

"Is he here?"

"No, but we may need to leave. If he enters your mind, your nightmares will unleash." he advised me. "He's only doing this by Woundwart to get to you, to kill you... unless." he answered.

"Unless what?"

"He enters my mind to reveal Watership Down." he stated.

I was shocked that I was being held hostage by Woundwart in a dreamworld or in a mind dream. I peeked my head around to see, if someone is watching me. I turned to see it was The Monster: with the black tank-top, black straight hair, with her eyes widen. She turned towards my direction, before I turned back quickly to Fiver.

"She's here!" I whispered.

"Who?" he asked.

"The Monster in my dreams. She's from a internet game or internet face call, I heard from the news or something like that. We need to leave!" I feared.

"Okay listen, don't panic. Unless she's part of your mind that Silverweed may have thought your fears. Only Woundwart is behind this." he added.

"We could take the front exit, before she finds us."

"Right, we need to leave now." Fiver stated.

* * *

We got down and mingled with the crowd of patrons to leave the bar. When we got to the door and I opened to see field of gloomy vegetables or _flayrah_. Fiver began to whimper, as if he recognized them.

"What is it, Fiver?" I asked.

"That's what I dreamed, before you and Pipkin woke me up." Fiver shivered.

"Alright, we have to get out of this dream, before we're-"

All the sudden, we're being wrapped by blue lily vines. We began to struggle to free ourselves, as Silverweed is already in our minds. The vines turned my head to see it was The Monster standing not far from where I'm and walked slowly towards me. And I could see Silverweed in the distance.

"I'm sorry Andrew and Fiver... I have to do this. I don't want too." Silverweed said with regret.

"Than don't do it, Silverweed!" Fiver tries to plead.

"If he doesn't do it, I'll enter the human's body and he'll destroy everyone before himself." The Monster threatened with a ultimatum, in her low chipmunk voice.

"Just leave Fiver, and get everyone out of there. It's the only way!" I tried to have Fiver leave to warn everyone of the threat. In a flash, The Monster entered inside me, as I began to twitch and shake. Until I had no control of myself and I swat with my hand.

"No!" Fiver shouted. "Leave him alone!"

"Keep away! The Sow is mine!" The Monster exclaimed. "He's under my control! I could start destroying your warren, starting with your brother!"

"No! Not Hazel!"

The Monster than lost control, as I gained very little of control. I was screaming and struggle to free myself, as The Monster continues to restrain me. "Please help me!"

"I'm sorry..." Silverweed apologizes.

"Alright, enter my mind if you must. Just let Andrew be." Fiver than gave up and allowed Silverweed to enter his mind.

"What?!" The Monster questioned.

Silverweed than went into Fiver's body and attempt to take control, as Fiver continues to struggle.

"Fiver, no!" I shouted.

"This won't be the end of you!" The Monster turned back at me, as she's about to take control of me again.

"Andrew, leave now!" I heard Fiver exclaim. I began to close my eyes and speaking to myself to wake up. The last words I could hear was Fiver begging Silverweed to stop.

* * *

I gasped heavily and opened my eyes to find myself outside of the warren, in shock and nearly a convulsion. "WHERE'S FIVER?! WHERE IS HE?!" I panicked.

"We don't know..." I turned to see it was Captain Holly. "Hawkbit saw you two having fits and visions some sort."

"It's not a dream. It's Silverweed." I told him.

"Who's Silverweed?" Bigwig rubbed his cheek, as I noticed he has a minor mark or a bruise on his cheek.

I looked back to see Fiver was standing up, as he continues to struggle to keep his eyes shut. "Oh no..." I feared.

"It's alright, Fiver. I'm here." Hazel tries to comfort Fiver.

Fiver than opened his eyes widened and looked around, like he's in a trance. "Fiver, fight it!" I begged.

"NOOOOO!" he closed his eyes and covered them with his paws.

"Fiver! Tell me what's happening." Hazel tries to reach for Fiver's paw.

"You mustn't do that Hazel." Fiver than spoke calmly.

"What is it, Fiver? What's wrong?"

"I have to keep my eyes tight shut." Fiver answered.

"Why?"

"It's Silverweed." I informed him. "He entered our dreams and being forced to enter Fiver's mind."

"Only for him to look through my eyes. And I don't want him to see Watership Down." Fiver added.

* * *

Later, we gathered inside the warren in The Honeycomb chamber. As we're there, I felt very bad for Fiver, as he's keeping his eyes shielded from Silverweed. Even though I felt bad to remark this for in my head, he looked very cute, as he covered them with his ears.

"I'll keep my eyes covered, while you lead us far away. So far away that we'll never be able to find our way back." Fiver insisted.

"Me too. I'd rather be sent away or killed before The Monster could take possession of me again. It's for the best for all of us." I agreed, as I should leave too.

"No." Hazel refuses.

"Then it won't matter what Silverweed sees through my eyes. As well, for Andrew won't have to harm the whole warren if he's being controlled." Fiver went on.

"I said no, Fiver." Hazel refuses again.

"You have too! So Woundwart won't find Watership Down and The Monster won't possessed me again and murder everyone here!" I pleaded.

"You two are not the threat. Silverweed is." Hazel placed his paws on our shoulders.

"So if we remove the threat..." Bigwig stated.

"... so Silverweed won't have to enter Fiver's mind nor have Andrew dream again or being taken controlled." Tyler added.

"Exactly. We're going to Darkhaven and take Silverweed out of there." Hazel decided.

"Than I'm going too. If I stay here, everyone is in danger." Fiver volunteered to join.

"Me too. If I stay here, and something happens that I got taken controlled again, it'll be a massacre in the warren and you won't forgive me for it. Maybe I'll have to go blind like Fiver too." I decided to join too.

"You both can't travel with your eyes covered, lads." Bigwig stated. "You two will hold us up."

"Hawkbit and Dandelion could help us." Fiver said.

"Hmm, course we can. I doubt he'll be any clumsier than usual." Hawkbit said.

"Well let's just have Fiver being given the extra hand. I'll be fine on my two feet." I insisted to have the duos help Fiver.

"The dream connection between Fiver and Andrew, and Silverweed could be valuable." Hazel stated.

"You mean inception." Tyler stated.

"Sorry?" Hazel questioned.

"Inception. Like different dreams being entered by another dream." Tyler clarified.

"Just like the movie." I added.

"Exactly."

"Right, I say Fiver and Andrew comes along." Hazel than settles it.

"Right, let's get at it!" Bigwig exclaimed.

"Right, but Andrew won't be able to see his way if his eyes are covered." Captain Holly feared.

Tyler smirked. "Don't worry Captain, I think I have something in mind."

Later, we began our journey to Darkhaven. Fiver is being helped by The Duos: Hawkbit and Dandelion, I was slightly guarded by Captain Holly and Tyler, if The Monster took control of me again, and Hazel and Bigwig took the lead.

"I never thought it could work. Great thinking on your wit, Tyler." Hazel commended Tyler.

"Well, let's just say that we could worry about one rabbit to be guided." Tyler stated. "How are you holding up, Andrew?"

I was wearing my dark-shades to keep my eyes covered a bit, so in case I was being taken controlled. The Monster won't see half as much. "Well... I feel like Ray Charles, Tyler. I feel like Ray Charles."

Captain Holly simply shook his head from my bad joke.

 _To Be Continued..._


	117. Titanic Sinking and Boston Marathon

Hello my follow readers. Today is the mark of the 107th year since The RMS Titanic sank into The North Atlantic Ocean. On April 14th, 1912, RMS Titanic was still on it's maiden voyage to New York since April 10th 1912 from Southampton, England; as well traveled to Cherbourg, France and Queenstown, Ireland. However at 11:40 p.m., just about 20 minutes to midnight on April 14th, the Titanic struck an iceberg and started to flood in the five water-tight compartments. In 2 hours and 40 minutes, after the ship struck the iceberg, on April 15th, 1912, The RMS Titanic sank into the bottom of The North Atlantic Ocean and still embedded into the ocean depths to this day. I like to write this Author's Note for the memory of the 1,514 lives (men, women, children, and the crew on aboard) lost on that fateful day and as well to the survivors, who lived to tell this tale.

Of course, that I almost forgot, this day also marks 6th year anniversary of The Boston Marathon Bombing that took the lives of three people, including one child. As well a MIT officer, who was shot dead three days later during the manhunt of the perpetrators. This Author's Note is also for the memory of the four people who perished and to the survivors and the law enforcement.


	118. Episode 34 The Eyes of Silverweed Part 3

The Eyes Of Silverweed Part 3

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. I'll make sure to get back on my feet with TV Series remake. If you haven't yet, please feel free to read other Watership Down stories I wrote, including the Miniseries Remake. Hope you all Have A Blessed Easter!

We're still on our way to Darkhaven to find a way to get Silverweed out. Since Fiver and I been having our minds being attacked from Silverweed's mind trick. So far, Fiver and I haven't been triggered from Silverweed entering our minds yet. It was a perfect opportunity to head there now, before he'll be forced to do it again.

"Once we get to Darkhaven, what's the plan?" Bigwig asked Hazel. "Or is it the usual?"

"Blundering in and hoping for the best." Hazel answered. "I'm afraid so."

"Unless we have a good 'Plan B'." I added.

We than heard Fiver stumbled, as Hawkbit, Tyler, and Dandelion stopped to help Fiver up, as everyone else stopped. I went over towards Fiver. "Are you alright, Fiver?"

"Is Silverweed still in your head?" Hawkbit asked.

"I'm not sure, but there's a tickle that doesn't quite go away." Fiver answered.

"Like he's your fear?" I suggested.

"You could say, if he enters my mind again." he added.

"Say, I got an idea!" Tyler exclaimed and he had Hawkbit and Dandelion, and myself huddled with Tyler. We listened, as Tyler had an idea to help Fiver face his fear. He decided to have all of us make some funny faces to help warn off Silverweed from entering Fiver's mind. I might as well do to make a good laugh and try to forget my fears too.

"Well, look at me. Just for a blink." Hawkbit instructed Fiver to uncover his eyes for a moment.

"Get ready to make a funny face!" Tyler had us cued up for a funny face.

As soon Fiver uncovered one of his ears to reveal one of his eyes, Hawkbit stick out his tongue and shake his head, while Dandelion squeezed his cheeks and stick out his tongue. Tyler lowered his face and than raised his head had his eyes upwards while making a cheesiest smile like Sora from Kingdom Hearts 3. Fiver began to laugh, as I was the only one who didn't make a face, as my shades were still on.

"Come on, Andrew! You didn't try!" Tyler turned towards me.

I took a deep breath, as I took off my shades, walked towards Fiver, as he still has his eye still uncovered. I squint my eyes nearly shut and pulled Arnold Jackson's catchphrase from _Diff'rent Strokes._ "What'chu Talkin' 'Bout, Willis?"

Fiver and everyone laughed, before Fiver covered his eye again.

"Now, there. That should hold him." Hawkbit smiled.

"Thanks everyone. I needed that." Fiver thanked us.

"What friends for." I smiled.

"You took off your shades." Fiver recalled, as I was about to make a Arnold Jackson impersonation.

"I did. Yeah... I did."

"I guess you'll be alright to walk without your shades." Captain Holly stated.

"Yeah. Alright, let's get moving." We than continued to move on our way to Darkhaven.

* * *

Later in the night, we finally arrived at the border, where the river bridge resides between the gap. I was feeling much better and felt little worried of having a panic attack or dream attack, as Captain Holly never left my side. Even Hawkbit and Dandelion would always pull funny faces or jokes to keep me and Fiver laugh. However, when we got there Hazel and Bigwig were planning to go into Darkhaven, even Captain Holly was going to join them.

"Dandelion, wait here with Fiver and Andrew." Bigwig instructed Dandelion, as he nodded his head. "The rest of us are going in after Silverweed."

"And if we don't come back..." Hazel spoke.

"No, Hazel. Don't say it." I interrupted him, as I knew what he was going to say. "You three will come back. I know you will."

Hazel lightly smiled, before he was about to join Bigwig and Captain Holly. It was until... Fiver came up with a bizarre idea that it maybe the impossible.

"Hazel... what if I could bring Silverweed here." Fiver manages to stop them in time, as he and the rest of the rabbits regrouped.

"How?"

"I might be able to go into his head and beat him at his own game." Fiver answered.

"Just like how he does to you and Andrew. It could work!" Tyler liked the idea.

I was worried, with hesitance. "Yeah, but... would you be able to hold it long enough? You never even done it before, except seeing visions and dreams."

"I have to try. It'll be better to not lose an _Owsla_ and a leader in a failed mission." Fiver stood up for his decision, even Hazel agreed to it, as well with Bigwig and Hawkbit.

"Alright, just be careful." I finally give in and Fiver took some deep breaths. Cleared his head and started to think of Silverweed.

"Silverweed... Silverweed..." Fiver started to reach out for Silverweed's mind. It took about at least four minutes for numerous attempts, until Fiver opened his eyes and they were glowing. It was startling, but amazed that he manages to do for his first attempt to reach for someone's mind.

"I see Woundwart. Campion and Blackberry beside me." Fiver spoke.

"He's done it." Hazel said. "He's seeing through Silverweed's eyes."

"And the first." I commended.

"They're in trouble and Woundwart's angry." Fiver stated, before he was focused on his mind ability. "I wanted some fresh air, Woundwart. I asked Campion and Blackberry to escort me."

I giggled a bit. "Now that's impressive."

Fiver gasped. "Nothing a little running the night air won't fix, General Woundwart."

I shook my head for a good laugh, as Fiver continues to keep his mind onto Silverweed's. By now he's trying to maintain to keep him under control.

"Campion and Blackberry are taking Silverweed out of the warren. I'll tell them you're waiting. Go!"

"Dandelion, watch him." Hazel stated, before they headed off.

"I don't know how long I could hold Silverweed's mind." Fiver started to struggle.

"You'll do, as long as you have to Fiver." Dandelion assures him.

"I'm not too sure, if he would last enough, before Silverweed would go back to his old way. I'll hurry off, you two be alright?" I decided to join Hazel and the _Owsla_ in the last minute.

"I won't leave, Fiver." Dandelion smiled.

"I'll back soon." I than hurried off to join Hazel and the others. I hurried to track them, until I spotted them near the cliff to see what is Darkhaven... or more of a industrial, quarry wasteland.

"How can they live in a place like this?" Hawkbit questioned.

"Not sure Dad." Tyler stated.

"Unless they found scrapes and built themselves up." I joined in the conversation that spooked them, as they turned around and gasped.

"Andrew?!" Hazel was surprised.

"What's the matter with you? You can't just sneak up like that, you could give us heart attacks." Tyler exclaimed.

"And I thought you're staying behind with Fiver and Dandelion?" Bigwig questioned me.

"I was worried that Silverweed would go back to his old ways. Besides, Dandelion and Fiver are fine. So this is Darkhaven?" I said.

"Yes it is." Tyler answered.

"It's more like an quarry site than a warren. Since there's a lot of industrial at work." I looked at the view, until we spotted three rabbits coming towards our path downhill.

"Here they come!" Bigwig spotted them.

We saw three rabbits coming up towards us: the first one was Silverweed and it appeared to be he's under control in his own state, as he first spoke. "Run! They're coming!"

"Easiest kidnapping I've ever done." Bigwig remarked.

"No kidding, Sherlock." I said.

"Bigwig, Hawkbit, and Holly go! We'll be right behind you." Hazel ordered them to be with Silverweed, as they headed to regroup with Fiver and Dandelion. Hazel, Tyler and I met up with Campion and Blackberry.

"Blackberry! Oh boy, I'm glad to see you in one piece." I was relieved to see her alive. "I'm sorry, if I left you."

"Don't be. It's alright." she assured to me.

"You need to leave. I'll hold them." Campion than told us to flee.

"Come with us." Hazel tries to persuade him to return back home with us.

"I want to, more than anything, but it's not time."

"Campion's right, somebody has to stay." Tyler stated.

"You know what, this is really ridiculous right now." I had enough. I took off my one of my shoes and had my hand put inside them.

"Why are you taking off your shoe?" Tyler asked me.

"So I don't break my fingers to give him a whack in the face." I answered.

"A whack?" Campion questions.

In a split second, I felt remorse that I had no choice, but a blow of a whack to Campion's face and knocked him unconscious. The rabbits were shocked from what I did. Tyler on the other hand well...

"Andrew, you attacked an _Owsla_ Captain!" Tyler exclaimed. "Why did you hurt an ally?"

"He'll forgive me for this, but I can't let him get rotten again from being manipulated by Woundwart." I answered.

"But you hurt him." Blackberry stated.

"Don't worry, it's just a... whoa a nose bleed." I was shocked that I gave Campion a bit of a nose bleed. "However, he'll live. He'll just wake up and he'll be back at home and we make a scene that he was killed."

"Like a staged murder scene?" Tyler questioned as he and Hazel picked up Campion.

"Exactly. Now we need to leave and cover our tracks."

And so, Blackberry and I successfully covered our tracks in time, before Woundwart and his new army arrived at the scene to see a staged murder and disappearance of Campion. However, the important thing was that we took out three rabbits from Darkhaven: Silverweed, Campion, and Blackberry.

* * *

We eventually got back to the rest of the rabbits and from there made our escape, with Campion on some of the rabbits' backs. When we arrived at the down at the crack of dawn, Silverweed was the first to arrive at the warren and he was shouting with joy.

"Oh, yes! Thank you, Fiver! Oh, let's go home to Watership Down!" Silverweed proclaimed with joy and content. He even greeted Captain Broom and other rabbits that were up early to _silflay_ , including Primrose.

The most surprising greeting was when he greeted Hannah. "Oh, your Hannah! Don't worry 'The Magic' spell. I see it in your mind. You won't forget it, I promise!"

"How on Earth, does Silverweed know about 'The Magic'?" I questioned in a whisper.

"Ah, Andrew I'm sure you remember that he could read minds." Tyler smirked.

"Well yeah... but I mean you're talking about Hannah the mouse."

"We shared minds." Fiver made it clear. "Now he knows what I know. It's like having another brother."

"I guess I wish I have another brother to come to think about it." I than smiled.

Silverweed reached towards the edge of the down and was admiring the view, before falling onto his back and enjoying every moment. "Watership Down... I love you!"

"I guess I'm going to tell him."

"Don't you even dare, try to ruin a freed rabbit's moment!" Tyler bumped in on the shoulder. More to ruining the moment, we than heard Campion waking up, as he shook himself up.

"What happened?" he looked around. "We're back at the down?!"

"Yes, Captain Campion, due to someone trying to stage a fake crime." Tyler than turned towards me.

"You snitch."

"Guess's my turn to see how I felt with a good thrashing." Campion started to charge at me.

"Well, I best better head off now to join Silverweed... bye!" I than dashed off, as the others began to laugh, even Silverweed had no idea what was happening, but he joined in the laugh anyway.


	119. Episode 35: The Spy Part 1

The Spy Part 1

Author's Note: Sorry if it took long for this one. I couldn't be able to write due to a family emergency that I was away from writing the series, except doing a short story and a crossover.

Since we got Silverweed out of Darkhaven, Fiver and I didn't have our dreams being attacked from Silverweed. He was just like a long last child, who has full heart is finally at home. At first, due to experiences of seeing him before from Cowslip's Warren to our latest encounters in dreams, I was distant from him. I wasn't sure what to say to him, nor what to think of him. The very first to bond with him, was Fiver. The two quickly became very bonded as brothers. For me and Silverweed, it would take for three days that we got each other acquainted. He came to me and understood that if I was scared of him. Surprised and startled, I opened myself up to explain, because I remember him when we first saw him in Cowslip's Warren and than the dreams that Fiver and I shared.

He than told me that he was welcomed to Cowslip's Warren, since he was a kitten. Sadly, he was abandoned and had abilities to read minds. I than felt very sad that he had a rough childhood, until Cowslip welcomed him, which that even makes it more worst. For some reason, I wasn't sure how he could cheer me up, he tackled me to the ground and started to tickling me that I began to laugh. Up to this day forward, I was going to let go of my burdens that I had with him.

In the following day, he told us about Darkahaven and what we're up against. He described in detail about their warren, their _Owsla_ and of course Woundwart.

"...with Woundwart leading the barbarians of Darkhaven, they're unstoppable." Silverweed finishes.

"Oh, there's jolly thought, hey-what." Captain Broom said.

"Sooner or later, we'll have to stop them. Because as soon as the moon rises, he'll be looking for us." Hazel stated.

Fiver sighed. "The _Efrafans_ were hopping daisies next to the Darkhaven lot."

"How do we deal with them?" Bigwig questions.

Hazel started to think and looked around the surroundings of the beech and the edge of the down. "For a start, we need more defenses around the warren."

"I'll put Hawkbit, Tyler, and Dandelion to work on that." Bigwig included the two duo bucks to dig the new defenses.

"Bigwig, you'll be leading a scouting party into enemy territory tonight. We need to know more about them." Hazel tasked Bigwig to do a patrol around the enemy warren territory for intel.

"All you need to know is I've got 'The Magic' to stop them, if they show their noses here." Hannah added.

"Oh Hannah, I know you believe in this 'Hocus-Pocus' rot, but we can't leave the defense of Watership Down to a mouse." Bigwig taunted.

"Take it easy, Bigwig. She's just trying to help." I stood up.

"Yeah, big dreams, small mouse." Bigwig scoffed and hopped off, to order the duo rabbits to dig.

"Are you going to need me to help them dig?" I asked Hazel.

"No. I'll want you to have enough strength and energy for tonight. I'll have you and Holly go along with scouting party to see what to know about their warren." Hazel told me.

I nodded. "Has he been around? He's usually gone at the mornings."

"He's doing a patrol with Pipkin and Strawberry. They should be back soon." Fiver mentioned.

"It's just that he's been falling in love recently and I just hope that Bigwig and Holly don't slit each others' throats." I hoped.

The brothers chuckled. "No, I'm sure they'll be able to settle their differences easily in a _Bob-Stone_ match."

* * *

Around noon, I was just walking around the warren enjoying the high hill's breeze. At one point, I heard someone trying to call me. I looked around until over by the tall bushes, it was Bigwig. I looked around to see no one was present and I headed over there.

"Bigwig, Silverweed."

"Hello, Andrew." Silverweed greeted.

"Listen, we're planning to have a trick in our sleeves." Bigwig was wanting to include me.

"Alright." I decided to join in.

"Do you remember that I was being sealed in my burrow?"

"Sure. You than have the trios go on night patrol." I remembered.

"Well, this will be payback. Silverweed will go on about, so I could find a way to pay them back."

"Alright." I sat down to watch.

"Right, go ahead Silverweed." Bigwig cued Silverweed. We watched Silverweed being a playful, young spirited buck enjoying freedom. He than got the attention of Hawkbit and Dandelion. "Just watch..."

 _Oh hello Hawkbit, Tyler, and Dandelion! Smashing day, isn't it_ _?_ Silverweed greeted.

 _Oh, cheer up why don't you?_ Hawkbit moped.

 _He's just happy, Dad._ Tyler stated.

 _I thought I had._ Silverweed stated.

Apparently, Hawkbit had a idea that popped into his head. _Silverweed, you know what thing you do. Getting inside someone's head. Can you do it to anyone?_

 _Dad!_

 _I suppose._ Silverweed answered, as he was gazing at the bee.

 _How about getting inside Bigwig's head? Making him forget about us._ Hawkbit suggested Silverweed doing a favor.

 _Be careful what you try to do, it'll only backfire, Dad._ Tyler warned him. _Silverweed, you don't have to do it._

"Ha!" Bigwig popped an idea.

"I guess you got something?" I questioned.

He nodded, as we continued to watch.

 _It's not right messing about someone's mind._ Silverweed stated.

 _Around here, you help out your mates. And we're your mates, aren't we?_ Hawkbit said.

Tyler sighed and shook his head. _I'll be digging elsewhere for defenses._

"At least somebody has decency, unlike the duos." I whispered.

 _Alright... I'll give it a go._ Silverweed decided to do it. He than hopped back towards, as the duos chuckled in hopes that they won't have to work as much.

"You're a good lad, Silverweed." Bigwig commended him, as soon he rejoins us. "Listening to those two and you'll have no end of bother. We'll be teaching them a lesson."

"Alright, Bigwig, but I thought you're all friends here." Silverweed said.

"Uh, oh, well we're... it's just we love to play little tricks on each other." Bigwig stated.

I leaned over to Silverweed's ear. "Oh no, they're just rivals I tell you. If you're there long enough, you'll see how the three are together."

"What did you say, Andrew?" Bigwig spotted me.

"Oh, nothing, nothing, nothing at all. I just ended up having to say that the three of you are good buddies and play pranks or antics on one another." I said, as I gave a wink at Silverweed after following a smirk at him. We than come across a group of bucks and does _siflaying_. Silverweed hopped on his way to enjoy himself. Bigwig, on the other hand, stared at Hyzenthlay.

"Just look at her. She's beautiful." Bigwig watched her.

"Did you spoke with her or anything?" I asked.

"Well, uhh I tried. There's just that one little catch." he answered, as we than looked on to see Captain Holly and Hyzenthlay socializing with each other. "However, Captain Holly seems like they're both are for each other."

"They look well together. We just have to wait and see, maybe someone else well turn up for you." I said.

"Well I guess you're right. Say, what happened to Sandy? She's never around here anymore." He wondered about Sandy.

I looked a bit gloom. "She left."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Bigwig apologized.

"No, it's fine. I'm trying to get over it." I said. We than noticed Hawkbit and Dandelion were finished with their duties, or sort.

"Right, I had Strawberry in position by the tree, you and I would be coming back from patrol." Bigwig planned.

"Alright, just don't lock your dead-eyes on Hyzenthlay, while you're hopping." I joked.

He than did a friendly, slap on the head, as he hopped away. "Come on!"

"Alright, alright, I'm coming!" I hurried to catch up with him. We than passed by Hawkbit and Dandelion, as they assumed that Bigwig was calling out for them. He than bumped into them. Like if we didn't even acknowledged to them. The duos began to panic, as if they have done something terrible that they dashed away to search for Silverweed.

"Fell for it, did they?" Strawberry asked, as he and Tyler came.

"Like stones, ha!" Bigwig answered.

"Let's hope they don't attend to forget about us forever." I worried.

"It's alright, Andrew. I'm sure it's just a trick, right Uncle Bigwig?" Tyler assured me.

"Of course, lad. Now, pass the word you two: 'Hawkbit and Dandelion don't exist'." Bigwig instructed them. They hurried off to pass the word.

"Well, I'll just relax here for a bit, before tonight and still go by your word." I lie down and put on my headphones to some country music.

Bigwig chuckled. "Good lad."

He than hopped away, as I tuned into some Luke Combs. Minutes go by, it was quiet, until... the duos came to me. They were a bit panicked and bewildered.

"Andrew, what's happening?" Hawkbit tries to get my attention.

I gone by what I told to Bigwig. So, I turned up my music, as I was listening to Luke Combs' _Beer Never Broke My Heart_.

"Andrew, I know you could hear us, what's happening?" Dandelion seeks to get my attention.

I didn't blast my headphones, as I than decided to sing along to the lyrics. However, deep down I was laughing on in the inside.

"It looks like Andrew doesn't know us either." Hawkbit spoke to Dandelion.

"We have to do something." Dandelion worried, as the two headed off. As I watched them hop away, I smiled and laughed, before I resumed listening to the music, as I rest up for tonight.

 _To Be Continued..._


	120. Episode 35: The Spy Part 2

The Spy Part 2

Author's Note: Sorry I have been away from doing TV Series for awhile, because of family emergency to a passing of a family member. I thank you for your patience and support as always and apologize for the hold. I'm trying to get back on track with the series and feeling little more better.

The day went by very quickly that it became sunset. The _Owsla_ scouting party was assembled: Fiver, Pipkin, Captain Holly, and myself. Surprisingly, Dog came about and pounced on me to give me some dog kisses. Now I could say that we have a dog with our _Owsla_. We watched over to see the duos: Hawkbit and Dandelion are seeking help from Silverweed.

 _"There are two ways to break Bigwig's mind block: one, is by acting like utter fools in front of him."_ I overheard Silverweed giving advises to the duo.

 _"Ah, not a problem. And the other?"_ Dandelion spoke.

 _"Carry out the orders he gave you."_ Silverweed added.

 _"Digging out boulders? How's that supposed to help him see us again?"_ Hawkbit doubted.

Silverweed felt like he was being doubted that he kept his cool. _"Hmm... who's the expert here?"_

Bigwig came out of the bushes and heading towards us. The duos made a mad-dash towards Bigwig to get his attention, by making faces. They eventually tripped themselves over, as Bigwig was coming towards us.

"Those duos need a better strategy." I whispered to Captain Holly, Fiver and Pipkin, as the trio nodded their heads.

"Fiver, Holly, Pipkin, Andrew. Patrol formation." Bigwig arrived and ordered us to get into formation for patrol. As we're heading out, I noticed that the duos were getting up and decided to resume digging up for defenses.

* * *

As we're on patrol, I decided to tune onto some music. Surprisingly, it was John Denver's _Take Me Home, Country Roads_. Fiver, Bigwig, and Pipkin never thought that they would hear that song again. It was Captain Holly's first time of hearing that song.

"What song is that?" Captain Holly asked.

"It was called... uhh... ' _Take Me Home, Country Roads'_." Pipkin manages to recall the song's title.

"Very good, Pipkin. I never thought you remembered it." I complimented him.

"I remember hearing that song when we first met and heading to Watership Down."

"Yes, and someone couldn't stop singing it, too." Bigwig said.

"Hey, that's a classic country song, right there partner." I tipped my hat.

"I'm curious though, Andrew. Why do you enjoy those songs so much?" Fiver asked.

"Those songs have good rhythms. It helps me feel good and relaxed. As well it's been stuck with me, since I was young and heard some good country songs when I was little. Even comes from family to say also." I answered.

"I see."

"Basically, it's about how you feel. If I'm happy and upbeat, the songs I play would be like this." I switched to another country song called _What Makes You Country_ by Luke Bryan, that I decided to sing along with some lyrics.

 _People talkin' 'bout what is and what ain't country_  
 _What gives 'em a right to wear a pair of beat-up boots?_  
 _Is it the size of your tires and your fires, or your wild ass buddies?_  
 _Well, give me a minute, let me hit you with some hometown truth_

 _You could be a cowboy on the Texas plain_  
 _Or a plowboy waitin' on the rain_  
 _We're all a little different, but we're all the same_  
 _Everybody doin' their own thing_

 _I got my dirt road cred when I was twelve_  
 _On a no cab tractor hauling them bales_  
 _Backing in boats, fishing limb lines_  
 _Running bird dogs through the Georgia pines_  
 _Step side cover down in peanut dust_  
 _Friday night spotlight, and that was us_  
 _It might not've been you, but I can't judge_  
 _Just be proud of what makes you country_

"Spot on!" Pipkin applauded.

"Yes, I say." Captain Holly agreed also.

"And when I'm sad, either I miss someone so dearly to me and/or trying to reminiscence memories, I'll play songs like this. I switched to another song called _Remember When_ by Alan Jackson.

 _Remember when I was young and so were you_  
 _And time stood still and love was all we knew_  
 _You were the first, so was I_  
 _We made love and then you cried_  
 _Remember when_

 _Remember when we vowed the vows and walked the walk_  
 _Gave our hearts, made the start, it was hard_  
 _We lived and learned, life threw curves_  
 _There was joy, there was hurt_  
 _Remember when_

 _Remember when old ones died and new were born_  
 _And life was changed, disassembled, rearranged_  
 _We came together, fell apart_  
 _And broke each other's hearts_  
 _Remember when_

(For some reason, I didn't want to end the song, as the bucks continued to watch and listen. The song hits me hard: as I remember hearing that song at a funeral years back, hearing the song, and eventually singing it on karaoke. What really hits me, as I looked back my past memories and looking at the present now.)

 _Remember when the sound of little feet_  
 _Was the music we danced to week to week_  
 _Brought back the love, we found trust_  
 _Vowed we'd never give it up_  
 _Remember when_

 _Remember when thirty seemed so old_  
 _Now lookin' back, it's just a steppin' stone_  
 _To where we are, where we've been_  
 _Said we'd do it all again_  
 _Remember when_

 _Remember when we said when we turned gray_  
 _When the children grow up and move away_  
 _We won't be sad, we'll be glad_  
 _For all the life we've had_  
 _And we'll remember when_

 _Remember when_  
 _Remember when_

After finishing the song, I stopped the music so it wouldn't repeat or continue with the next track. It nearly moved me into tears, but I managed to kept myself together. The bucks were loss of words of what to think of the song, until one spoke.

"That was beautiful." Captain Holly complimented.

Fiver nearly became teary, but kept himself together. "It's very beautiful indeed."

"These songs meant everything to me, either wanting to reminisce the past, driving past old roads." I spoke, as the bucks agreed. "Well, I guess we better continue to head out for Darkhaven."

Bigwig nodded his head. "Yes, right. Better keep moving."

* * *

We continued on our way to Darkhaven until by nightfall. We're going about between a ravine almost, as it seems. Bigwig decided to put us on hold to give us direction of our objective.

"Heads up lads. We're on the edge of Darkhaven territory." Bigwig spoke.

"We'll have to be careful, as well. They maybe a guards nearby, so proceed with caution." Captain Holly added.

"They maybe watching us." Fiver said.

"There's no site or scent of a rabbit nearby." Bigwig disagreed.

"Maybe not, but they could be lurking above us though." I said.

As we kept going, apparently it seemed that no one was watching us, until minutes later. We heard some thuds nearby. Bigwig turned to see a doe was tumbling down from above us and she eventually rolled down in front of Bigwig. We had no idea where she came from nor that we have any idea if she's friend or foe. Bigwig got close and sniffed her.

"She's alive." Bigwig was amazed that the doe survived the fall.

"She's lucky." Fiver stated.

"If someone fall like, she would have already been dead." I spoke. "No one could survive a fall like that."

"We have to get her back to Watership Down." Pipkin spoke.

"Now, hang on a tick. We don't know who she is or where she came from." Captain Holly spoke. "She may be from Darkhaven."

"Right now, she's a hurt doe. We're not leaving her here for the _elil_ , Holly." Bigwig exclaimed. "I'll carry her."

We picked her up and placed her on Bigwig's back, as we aborted our mission and headed straight back to our warren to care for the doe. I have mixed feelings about her, because no one could just leap and survive a fall like that, unless she was fleeing. But she may have not. Captain Holly knew his feelings about the doe, that I even felt the same way about her. We both somewhat may have the same opinion, however I decided to leave it off, until we got back to discuss about this.

* * *

It was near towards midnight that we arrived back to Watership Down. I noticed that Hawkbit and Dandelion were still digging for defenses. They even tried to gain our attention, until they thought that we couldn't see them or know who they're. I just had enough of the duos that I told them that it was no-foul trick or to say a prank. They finally became relieved that they just resumed digging, while Blackberry was taking care of the doe. She recognized the doe, but I guess she was somewhat afraid. Despite of this, she continues to help the doe, either she may recognize the doe as the enemy or not.

"How she's doing Blackberry?" Bigwig asked.

"With some bumps and bruises, with a bad cut. I managed to put some herbs on her wounds to heal her. In the meantime, she must rest until she's better." Blackberry nervously spoke. When left the doe to be, we grouped just outside the burrow to discuss about the doe.

"Who is she, Bigwig?" Hazel asked.

"Haven't a clue. She just fell out of the sky and landed on my feet." Bigwig answered.

"Did you guys see the size of her, she's bigger and maybe taller than the rest of the does here." I spoke. "She should have been dead just like that. Like I said, no one could survive a fall like that."

"I know you wouldn't believe it, but what Fiver said, she's lucky." Bigwig said.

"No, no, no, that wasn't luck. I think it's a setup." I thought.

Everyone turned at me, Bigwig couldn't believe it. "You think an injured doe, could possibly use this stunt to spy on us."

"That's right. That's exactly right, she may want us to think that she's injured. Only to spy on us."

"I think we need to call the night." Bigwig spoke sternly.

"Don't do that! Don't even blow this thing! She's intentionally here only to spy on us or conspire for a plan that Woundwart may have with her. I think I recognize her from nights before when Blackberry was first captured." I burst out.

"Steady on, Andrew." Hazel tried to calm me down. "Perhaps she may have a fall during on her patrol or in accident."

"Wrong, wrong! This kind of stunt, doesn't just happen!"

"Are you willing to speak out against your Captain of the _Owsla_? Or try to go up against Hazel-rah?" Bigwig questioned me.

"This is a conspiracy! No could survive like that, only to spy on us! And want at least a few you guys acknowledge this!"

"Andrew, maybe right. We shouldn't have brought her here Hazel." Captain Holly informed Hazel. "It's a shocking breach of security."

"I'm head of the security, Holly! And I'll decide when it's shocking!" Bigwig growled.

"We don't know one jot about her and now she may even knows too much about us!"

"How could a hurt doe know about us?! If it was Hyzenthlay, I would have carried her back, even if she's the enemy!" Bigwig shouted.

"How dare you could say a thing like that! She's not even the doe that you impetuously carried her to our warren!" Captain Holly stood up.

"How dare you call me, impetuous! I'll show you that I'm meant for her!"

Bigwig than tackled Captain Holly, as a fight broke out. Gladly no one was up to hear or see the fight took place. Hazel and Blackberry blocked Bigwig's path, as I did for Captain Holly. "That's enough, you two! Why are we even discussing about a 'Love Triangle', as we're meant to discuss about the doe?! Save that for a bar!"

Hazel shook his head. "We'll have Silverweed look for the truth in her heart, when she wakes up. For now, we let her recover... and you both break up the fight and move on."

* * *

It wasn't until the next morning that I woke up to see Hazel, Bigwig, and Silverweed was with the doe. Apparently, they decided to have Silverweed look into the doe's heart. Silverweed seemed more frightened to read her, as I saw her low smirk at him. I knew something was wrong that I recognized her. I decided to keep my distance as I watched it happened.

"Uhh... her name is Spartina. She ummm... speaks the truth. She was lost and alone. She fell and... and, and, you found her. If, if that's all I'll just go." Silverweed read her heart, before he quickly sped off. I shook my head that it was meant to be a set up.

"And you must be Bigwig." Spartina came towards Bigwig. "I understand I have you to thank for my rescue."

"Well, we all did our bit." Bigwig smiled.

"You do have the great look of a warrior." She spoke kindly, even though she wasn't trying to flirt.

Bigwig stutters like a Jackrabbit on a date. "I suppose... that... I can hold my own and scrap."

I decided to walk by them, only to find Silverweed. I couldn't look Spartina in the eye, because I know she holds deception within her. When I got to find Silverweed, he was being consulted by Hyzenthlay, Tyler and Taylor.

"Are you guys alright?" I asked.

"I'm afraid it's not the same of Silverweed." Hyzenthlay answered. I looked at him and he was a bit shimmering.

"Silverweed? What is it?" I tried speaking to him, but he didn't want to budge, as if he was threatened. "Tyler, what's going on?"

"Spartina. She is from Darkhaven and only to spy on our warren." Tyler came towards me, as he had a cuff mark on his cheek.

"What happened to you?" I asked in shock.

"She spotted me, with Silverweed. She forced him to say that she's a wanderer." Tyler answered. "I spoke against it, only to be cuffed, but it's just a scratch. When Dad asked me how I got it, I could only say 'I fell'.

"What?!"

"Because she threatens to kill everyone here, starting with Silverweed. She would never do something like that! Even to me, Darkhaven has her brainwashed." Taylor spoke into tears that Tyler comforted her.

"Only the worst was when she was being read by Silverweed." Tyler stated.

"And what's that?"

"We're all in danger." Silverweed finally spoke. "If she doesn't return to Darkhaven by the next round moon, they'll kill Campion."

"Campion? He should already be back from another patrol the night before." I thought.

"Yes, but... he was captured by her and her _Owsla_." Silverweed regretfully stated.

It was deemed to be a setup the whole time. While Spartina was being welcomed, as a wandering rabbit, Campion was captured by her _Owsla_ only to have him be executed, if she turns out missing and/or she doesn't return from being lost or worst... dead. The five of us knew that Spartina is a spy. It would be hard to convince everyone in the warren to say that she is, because we're meant to welcome any rabbit that is lost or their warren was destroyed. The only other rabbit deemed to listen to us is Holly. We had to find a way to try to tell the warren that it was nothing but a real threat on the horizon, with Campion's life on the balance of life and death.

 _To Be Continued..._


	121. Episode 36: The Betrayal

The Betrayal

Author's Note: I'm sorry if I put this episode to one part, due to less coverage of this episode. However, there's two more episodes that there will be more covering. I would like to thank everyone from the beginning to now, who has been reading and following along with the TV Series Remake of Watership Down. Especially thanking Supernova2015 and Gotham317 for their ideas.

It was solid, despite of my distrust with Spartina. Although, as she was a welcoming rabbit, we couldn't be able to proclaim that she was a spy because it would be bad hospitality. The one who showed most hospitality towards her was Bigwig. I was coming to assumption that he was falling for Spartina and fading away from Hyzenthlay. However, she kept looking at Hyzenthlay and began to think perhaps she would be the right doe for him. Throughout the day, it was just like any other day, until we heard that Spartina has left the warren. She was than eventually followed by Bigwig, as he chases after her. Hazel gathered the _Owsla_ to go after Spartina. Silverweed wanted to join us. We basically followed the tracks and scent of Spartina, until we caught up with Bigwig.

Unfortunately, we lost her tracks at the hedge. Hawkbit and Dandelion began sniffing for her scent, while Silverweed was gazing at the moon. I than remembered that he told me that she had to be back before full moon, before Campion would be executed. Not everyone knows, except Silverweed, Tyler and Taylor, Hyzenthlay, and myself. Bigwig was frantic about Spartina leaving the warren and he becomes increasingly worried that she could be killed. Hawkbit than managed to found Spartina's scent, as she passed through the hedge into the farm. We began to search through the farm and found no luck of finding her, as her trails fell cold. Seconds later, we than heard crates fell from inside of one of the barns. We decided to investigate inside the barn to find Tabitha. She was apparently trying to get through the crates, until we spotted Spartina was hiding from the cat. Hazel and Bigwig managed to tackle the cat, before Fiver followed with a tackle. The cat snarled before she cowardly, withdraw because she's outnumbered. It was the best opportunity to leave the barn, before Tabitha would return.

When we got back, we saw Silverweed gazing at the full moon once more. He turned around to see us coming back, even Spartina noticed that he was with us.

"Now, you scared us half to death, from disappearing like that. What's the idea?" Bigwig questioned Spartina.

"I'm sorry, Bigwig. But... there's something I have to do." she answered with an apology.

"In the middle of the night, alone?"

"Are you fleeing?" I questioned.

"No, that's not it!" Spartina denied.

"Andrew, what's with your ears?!" Bigwig questioned me.

"She was going home..." Silverweed turned around and spoke. "... to Darkhaven."

Bigwig gasped in shock, as if he was falling in love with a doe that he could share his life with. Now, it just felt like it was shattered into bits.

"What proof do you have, Silverweed?" Hazel asked.

"Because I know that too! I remembered that I saw her tackling Blackberry, before she was taken as prisoner. And of course, she threatened to kill Silverweed, Tyler, and Hyzenthlay, if either one of them spoke out." I answered for Silverweed. "She's Woundwart spy!"

Spartina than tried to make an escape, but quickly restrained by Hawkbit and Dandelion. Furious, Bigwig hopped over to her. "A spy."

"Bigwig, you have to listen to me!" she begs.

"Bring her back to Watership Down!" Bigwig hopped on his way back to Watership Down, as we had escorted Spartina back to our warren.

* * *

When we got back, almost half of the warren was wide awake from a disturbing scene. We saw two rabbits are lied at The Honeycomb, lifeless: it was Blackavar and Comet. They were apparently beaten by claw marks, by a rabbit.

"Have you done enough damage?!" we than heard Hyzenthlay hopping towards Spartina. She than started attacking Spartina, that eventually Bigwig had to pull her away and broke up the fight. She was wanting to rip Spartina into shreds. Bigwig took Hyzenthlay to aside away from The Honeycomb.

At the same time, we're in deep sadness of Blackavar's and Comet's unexpected demise. Until we turned our attentions to Spartina.

"We know that she was spy all along, when she came here." Silverweed spoke.

"And you didn't warn us?" Hazel questioned.

"We tried to tell you, but since you guys were very welcoming to her, you wouldn't believe us." I spoke out.

"It's not their fault. I threatened him and some other rabbits, including Hyzenthlay. I was sent here to spy." Spartina confessed. "My job was to Watership Down and lead the Darkhaven army to destroy it. But now, I can't do that."

"And why should we believe what you're saying? Perhaps to make a false confession?" I questioned her.

"Stop it! She's only been doing this to follow orders!" we heard a young kitten exclaimed and outcome Taylor with Tyler, as they hurried towards Spartina.

"I'm sorry, who are you again?" Hazel apologized and asked her.

"I'm Taylor, Spartina's adopted mother. She's been looking after me, despite what Woundwart has ordered her to do. She was only doing this to follow orders."

Spartina nuzzled Taylor, that came to surprise for most of us. "In Darkhaven, you survive by allying yourself with the strongest rabbits. I believe, by now, you can defeat Woundwart. Campion said something to me."

"I'll just bet he did." Dandelion said.

"What did he say?" I asked, as I was now wanting to know if she's telling the truth.

"He told me... 'Woundwart fights to destroy something he hates. You fight to protect what you love'." she stated what Campion told her. "It didn't make any sense to me then, but now it does."

"And what changed your mind?" Hazel asked.

"You did. All of you, even Bigwig." she answered.

"I'm sick of her lies and deceits." Hyzenthlay returned.

"I'm telling the truth, Hyzenthlay. If you think I'm wrong, why don't you have Silverweed look into my heart to prove it. If you're right, you could execute me, if I ever come back here again." Spartina stated.

"Silverweed, can you look into her and tell us the truth?" Bigwig asked.

Silverweed hopped towards Spartina, before looking at Hyzenthlay. "Touch my paw, Hyzenthlay. We'll find the truth together." Hyzenthlay was hesitant at first, until she decided to see in Spartina's heart. I wasn't sure what she saw, but after two minutes of seeing in Spartina's heart, she shook herself.

"No... that's not true." Hyzenthlay scooted back, as she wasn't angry, but confused and frightened from what she saw. She than retreated to her burrow.

"She's telling the truth." Silverweed stated.

"If you weren't going back to Darkhaven to betray us, what were you doing?" Hazel questioned.

"I was going to save Campion." she answered.

"You were going to save Campion? How?" I questioned.

"I'm afraid, that's why Blackavar and Comet left the warren and eventually died to rescue him. If I'm not back at Darkhaven by the round moon, they'll execute him for betrayal."

"But that's tonight!" Hazel shockingly stated.

"There's still time, let me go Hazel. I swear I'll never tell Woundwart about Watership Down. Please let me save him."

* * *

Spartina was let go, only to be escorted back to the bridge point by: Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, Hawkbit and Dandelion. I could only recall that when she was trying to speak to Bigwig, but ignored her, as they were heading on their way. I decided to stay behind, just to let my angry emotions fade, as I grieved with the rest of the rabbits that remained in the warren to grieve for Blackavar and Comet.

Afterwards, I left for outside of the warren, to watch the full moon. Out of nowhere, Captain Holly came out to see me. "Cheer up, Andrew."

"I just wish we could have acted sooner! It's just now that we lost two of our fellow rabbits only to rescue Campion-"

"I know you, Silverweed, Hyzenthlay, and even Tyler did everything you lots could do. Don't hold yourself responsible for Blackavar's and Comet's death, not a single rabbit is holding it against you. It's Darkhaven." he comforted me.

I nodded my head. We turned to see Silverweed and Hannah were eating strawberries.

"They'll get to Campion in time. Won't they Silverweed?" Hannah asked.

"I hope so... I mean of course they will." Silverweed answered. "We're putting together a feast to celebrate his return and the memories of Blackavar and Comet. Aren't we."

"I thought you could see the future. Like Fiver does." Hannah spoke.

"It's a bit different with me. Sometimes, when I touch someone I can see their trail of tomorrow."

Hannah than sighed. "I wish I had a useful talent."

"You're good at finding berries." Silverweed smiled. "A feast not much good without berries."

"When Kehaar was here, we'd soar high over the forest. Leading the way, watching for enemies, now..." Hannah sighed.

"You done much more than that." I exclaimed, as we than headed our way towards them. "You even saved our lives a couple of times, starting with the weasel, relaying a message to Fiver as he was trapped in a wheel-burrow, and of course saving Bigwig from an owl."

"Yes that is true." she remembered.

"See, you're just being too hard on yourself." Silverweed patted Hannah on the shoulder. He than went into a state of reading Hannah's trail. "You'll help your friends soon enough Hannah." He returned to himself, as he gasped.

"Did you see something?" Hannah asked, as she heard what he said. "Do I use 'The Magic'? Is that what you saw?"

"No, it was nothing... I'm eating too many berries." Silverweed answered.

Captain Holly looked down, as I noticed. "Something wrong, Holly?"

"It won't work." he said to me.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

We headed back to our spot at the edge of the down. "Even if Silverweed tries to do 'The Magic' for Hannah, it won't work. The Hedge Wizard requires for the real magic to get you home was for someone to sacrifice for your life to get you home."

I than remembered what Holly has said before, when he made his encounter with The Hedge Wizard. She gave him his youth only for him in exchange that he gives up his life for someone, who seeks to protect. I didn't want to believe, as I didn't want to get into this discussion further, as I remained outside to watch the stars.

* * *

I woke up in the morning, I was still outside, but I noticed that Hazel and the others returned from taking Spartina back to Darkhaven.

"We shouldn't have left them back there." Bigwig stated. "Campion and Spartina, they're our responsibilities."

"So is everyone else on Watership Down, Bigwig. Even Andrew's." Hazel stated. "I'll do what I must to protect them."

"Not even if, someone dies for me." I spoke.

"If that's what it takes."

"I just don't want someone to die for me, only to get me home. I just wanted some proof that I return home at ease." I told him. Before Hazel could say anything else, Fiver began to shiver.

"Fiver?" I noticed.

"It's coming... The evil is coming..." he visioned.

We know who'll be coming... General Woundwart. It would be in a matter of time. Will it be today, tomorrow, or in days time... either way, we have one Last Battle to prepare from Woundwart's final war against us.


	122. Episode 37: The Beginning of The End P1

The Beginning of The End Part 1

Author's Note: I'm sorry if this has been long since I wrote the previous episode. I'm gaining back on my feet from last month and I appreciate everyone reading this Remake since the beginning, since I first started. Here's the first two of the episodes of the Season 3 Finale.

We noticed that Fiver started to shiver, before he fell to the ground to say "The Evil is Coming". What we could hear from what Fiver say was "War, war, war, war..."

"Fiver is trapped in his vision, poor lad." Hannah said.

"I'm sure it has to about Woundwart and Darkhaven preparing for attacking Watership Down." I was certain.

"If he says anything we can use, let us know." Hazel instructed us to relay back to him, if there's something vital from Fiver's vision. We stayed with him, as Hazel and Bigwig climbed up the hill to the warren.

 _Neither claw or fang will win the day. Only a sacrifice of a friend can save the world today and bring a friend home, but the price of a friend will cost tomorrow. A friend will pay it, and we'll sorrow._

"What does it mean, Hannah?" I turned to Hannah to see her in a frozen state. "Hannah?" She couldn't speak nor move. I looked back at Fiver to see him in the same state. "Fiver?"

I looked around to see nothing moving. I wonder, if I'm having a vision too. I thought I would never have it again. No wind is blowing, trees aren't moving, and the clouds are deathly still.

 _Andrew..._

I looked behind to see, none other than _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_. "It's you."

"You know why I'm here, do you?" he spoke.

"Fiver's vision?" I guessed.

"Yes... 'Only a sacrifice of a friend can save the world today and bring a friend home...'." he quoted.

"Perhaps it maybe Hannah's magic." I said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yep." I said.

 _The Black Rabbit_ than tilted his head to have me guess again. "Silverweed. You're wanting me to say that Silverweed would do 'The Magic'?"

"You're warmer..."

I began to think this through, until I remember what Captain Holly spoke to me about "The Magic" is a delusion. "No... you can't take Holly. This is just a premonition."

He nodded. "I'm afraid so. If a rabbit sacrifices for his life for the one he cares for the most, the other lives."

"No, I won't believe it." I disagreed.

"He has already told you that he would. He has already sealed his fate. Since he made the deal with the Hedge Wizard, he would obtain his youth in exchange of giving his life, for you to return home."

"Stop it. Stop it! Wake me up now!" I began to shake my head to wake up from my vision. "Take my life instead of his!"

He shook his head. "I have no power to control your life, because you're not a rabbit. But remember this... _There is not a day or night but a doe offers her life for her kittens, or some honest captain of Owsla his life for his Chief Rabbit's. Sometimes it is taken, sometimes it is not. But there is no bargain, for here, what is, is what must be._ " His words began to repeat until I fell out.

* * *

"Andrew?"

I opened my eyes to see it was Fiver. "Fiver? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, but you were in the same state, as I was though. Are you alright?"

I gasped and remembered about Fiver's vision. "Your vision? Please tell me who it is."

"Who?" he questioned.

"'A friend can save the world today'." I re-quoted his vision.

Fiver shook his head. "I don't know who it is, but that's all I know. Do you know?"

"I think so, but I can't let it happen. Even if it means bringing me home."

"Your way home? A friend would pay the price to have you return home?" Fiver puzzled.

"If that's what it is, but I can't let someone die for me, so I could return home. The only way to prevent it happening is you guys to leave."

"What? We can't leave our warren. Perhaps you could try take this up to Hazel, but I'm sure he'll say 'no'." Fiver stated.

"I have to make him listen, if it means not losing someone from this warren."

And so, we climbed up back to our warren to see it, being fortified with defenses: boulders, sharp sticks, and trenches to trap them. Everyone was working, even different animals are willing to aid the rabbits, by any means like building up defenses. Some brought plenty of _flayrah_ from the farm to store into our warren in case we're under siege. One of the rabbits in charged of keeping the rabbits and some animals at work was Captain Broom.

"Well done, my brethren of the trees. Keep them coming, a-what." he complimented a group of squirrels of bringing long sticks for defense.

"Andrew, do you mind of giving us some of your strength?" Captain Holly called me from the other side, as he, Hickory, and another fellow rabbit was rolling a big stone to line up with the others. I came to their aid, as I rolled the stone until it was positioned as it was with the others.

I than spotted Hazel and Bigwig were inspecting the defenses as well. At one point, they inspected on Hawkbit's and Dandelion's progress on their digging with some field mouses. Hilariously, when Hawkbit tried to speak, the mouses mimic the same movement, as Hawkbit, when he moved his paw or gesture while speaking. We than heard Pipkin's voice coming nearby. I joined up with Hazel and Bigwig to see what he's been up too.

We than saw him riding on Bark's back. "Hello Bigwig, Hazel, Andrew. Look whose here, it's Bark."

"It's nice to see you again, Bark." I greeted, as she stood.

"Pipkin says we fight Woundwart again." Bark recalled from the message that Pipkin must have told her.

"I'm afraid so." Hazel answered.

"And hopefully the last." I added.

"Oh, I'm sure it will be." Bigwig tried to cheer me up.

"Bark likes to fight!" Bark exclaimed, before she jumped into the trench and started to help dig.

"Well, that's one of us anyway." Bigwig stated.

"Always good to have good allies to fight along your side."

"I talk to Flit and Darkling. They're keen to fight as well. They'll bring their bat friends after sundown." Pipkin informed us.

"Well done, Pipkin." Hazel commended with a his paw on Pipkin's shoulder, before he looked around. "And none of your friends has any word on Campion and Spartina?"

"If they got out of Darkhaven, someone would have seen them." Pipkin answered.

"Can you think of anything else we should be doing, Bigwig?" Hazel turned to Bigwig.

"Hmm... be nice if Kehaar was still around. We could use a high patrol to keep an eye on Woundwart." Bigwig answered.

"What if he could do a this one more time?" I wondered. "Than again... he maybe starting a life with Gluck."

"What do you mean?" Hazel questioned.

"Well, we could send someone to find him." I suggest.

"Oh, I had an idea about that!" Pipkin got an idea.

We than heard a screech that almost sounded like a eagle, until we saw a hawk. I recognized the hawk that it was Scree. He picked up Pipkin and flew him around the down. I turned to see Hazel and Bigwig were in the trench with Hawkbit, Dandelion, and Bark.

"You two could come out, it's only Scree." I told them.

"Are you certain?" Bigwig questioned.

 _It's Scree!_ We than heard Pipkin shouted from above. _He's come to help us!_

The rabbits let out a relief. "We're getting ready for war, but Pipkin acts like it's a 'hopabout'." Dandelion stated.

"He's young." Hazel smiled.

"Friendly... and daring fella." I added.

"He keeps this up, he'll make me old." Bigwig smiled, as we all watched Pipkin and Scree.

"The only thing will make you feel any more older is him with a doe and kittens. And then they'll either call you Grandpa Bigwig." I joked. Dandelion laughed hard, as Hazel chuckled.

Bigwig turned back at me, as I raised my eyebrows up and down. "Hey, you better watch lad." he warned me.

"Say... maybe." I turned to see Dog lying on the grass, sentry. "Dog!" I than called out to him, with a whistle. He got up and ran towards me. I petted him and praised him for having him come.

"What would a dog do about Kehaar?" Dandelion questioned me.

"Perhaps, if he's not entirely far and not like London, maybe Dog could sniff him out and try to persuade for him to come." I thought of an idea to see we could bring our old ally back into the fight.

"You can't be serious about having a loss dog wander about, what if he's being captured?" Bigwig questioned.

"I wouldn't worry about it Uncle Bigwig." Tyler came towards us with his Message Bird.

"You still have that Message Bird with you?" I asked.

"Whenever to send messages." Tyler smiled. "Perhaps he could help Dog to find Kehaar."

"That could be a solid strategy." I complimented.

"What if he doesn't, because he and Gluck are starting a life on their own?" Hazel questioned.

"Well... we tried. The real reason why though is that with only Scree, it won't be enough. But if you have Kehaar with Scree, you doubled the air support." I backed up the idea.

Hazel and Bigwig looked at each other, before looking at the sky, and then looking back at us. "Alright, but how would you find him?"

I pulled out a feather, apparently from Kehaar, when he crashed landed a couple of times. "This could help. Dog would sniff out the scent of him."

"And not only that, we have been speaking to each other by The Message Bird. He'll definitely know where to find him." Tyler added.

"Very well. We could try to use much help, as we can and even Hannah would be relieved to see him return." Hazel than finally agreed.

"Message about to be sent." The Message Bird spoke. We than turned towards Tyler.

"Oops, I guess I ended up to have him record the message by the time, I suggested it." he said.

I felt a sweat drop fell from my head. "He's pretty much going to hear what we discussed."

"That's alright, and Dog of course could always back The Message Bird too." Tyler smiled from a minor accidental mistake.

I looked down at Dog. "Alright, boy. I need you to follow The Message Bird to find Kehaar and ask him if he could help us for the last time. Can you do that, boy?"

Dog barked, with his tail wag. I patted him. "Good boy." Tyler than sent out The Message Bird. "Dog, follow." Dog left and started to bark, while following The Message Bird, as the rest of us heading back up towards the beech tree.

"Now, the only thing left about Scree is to have someone fly on his back for the time being and/or unless Kehaar flies back." I spoke. We than saw Hannah coming out from the trench.

"What, do you need me for something?" Hannah asked.

"Hannah, do you remember Kehaar allowed you to fly on his back?" Tyler asked.

"Yes... sadly it's been awhile I could remember, since I have 'The Magic'." she answered.

"What if you could fly on someone else's back for the time being?" Hazel offered her for assistance.

"On whose back?"

We than saw Scree landed with Pipkin safely on ground, as than Hannah remembered about the hawk, very well since the Pipkin and his Junior _Owsla_ went on a solo patrol.

 _To Be Continued..._


	123. Episode 37: The Beginning of The End P2

The Beginning of The End Part 2

"Hawks eat mice." Hannah stated, as she looked at Scree. She was hesitant of riding on his back, because of hawks eat mice.

"Scree promised he wouldn't." Pipkin recalled that Scree made a promise to him that if he's to have Hannah ride on his back, he wouldn't eat her.

"You've no idea how little hawks promise means to me, Pipkin."

"Just try to give him a chance. You seen his approach before and I'm definitely sure that he won't eat you." I remembered our first encounter with Scree. Still Hannah wouldn't agree to it.

"Come on, Hannah. We need you up in the sky, keeping an eye on Woundwart. We have to know what he's up too." Bigwig told her.

"All you need to know is I've got enough magic in this paw to stop him." I than started to remember in head, about our encounter with The Hedge Wizard and what she warned to me and Captain Holly. "... and I'm inside that bird, when you need 'The Magic', you'll be sorry." She than finally decided to hop onto Scree's back and he took off. The four of us watched them soar.

"Are you sure it's a good idea in retrospect? Because she hasn't flew on a bird's back for a long time." I had second thoughts.

"You watch, Andrew. In two shakes, she'll be loving it up there again." Bigwig told me.

"Well, that's taken care of. We'll have to continue on with the defenses." Hazel spoke.

* * *

From than on, I'm doing my best to keep my mouth shut from about our encounter with The Hedge Wizard. However, I was too focused on helping on building the defenses of our warren. It wasn't until I was given a break, I waited to see if Hannah and Scree returned. Better than yet, if Keehar would return. I than saw something in the sky to assume if Keehar has returned. However it turn out to be.

 _Screeee!_

It was Scree and Hannah. And I haven't even see our message bird nor Dog coming back too. By the time they arrived, Hazel, Bigwig, and Fiver showed up and asked for the report of Woundwart and his Darkhaven army.

"Let's have your report Hannah." Hazel first spoke.

Hannah shook her head. "We don't stand a chance against them, Hazel." She slid down from Scree's wings and came towards Hazel.

"How many are there?"

"More than us." Hannah answered. "All of them. Bigger than us. Meaner than us. They'll be here by tomorrow's moon rise."

"That's tomorrow evening." I exclaimed. "I just hope we have enough defense to hold us up. To at least have some gains, instead by numbers."

Fiver than began to shiver, before he fell from his back. Luckily, Bigwig caught his fall.

"Fiver, what is it?" I asked him.

 _The one, who is lost comes home to stay. He leads the evil and shows him the way. But his trail is sent by powers above. He does what he does because of love._

"Campion..." I guessed.

"Oh... my head." Fiver shook himself back.

"What's this about someone leading the evil here, Fiver?" Bigwig asked him.

"Fiver visioned that Campion is leading Woundwart's army to Watership Down." I answered for him.

"No... he wouldn't betray us. Not Campion." Bigwig refused to believe.

"No, it's not meant to be betrayed, but he was only doing this, as if he was being forced too."

"Fiver said, 'he does what he does because of love'. He's probably only being forced only to protect for any harm comes to Blackberry." Hazel suggested the possibility.

"I think that's it. And using Spartina, I'm sure." I agreed.

"Blast!" Bigwig cursed.

"That's why we're going back after dark. We'll free Campion and Spartina out." Hannah stated that she and Scree would take flight again tonight to free Campion and Spartina.

 _His trail is sent by powers above._ I recalled of Fiver's vision. I could only assume that _The Black Rabbit_ maybe trying something with Campion. Or maybe to bring himself to Watership Down to claim the souls who perished in the battle to come. I noticed that Hannah went over to Hazel to speak with him.

 _Maybe we should abandon Watership Down, Hazel. Start again, somewhere else._

 _There's a lot for me to think about, Hannah._ Hazel stated.

 _Right. I've got work to do._ I than watched her off on her way to be prepared for tonight, as Hazel continues to think about what's to come. I was about to leave him be, until he called me over.

"Andrew." Hazel called me.

I slowly walked over to him, as we both looked at the hills in the distance. "I understand from what we have been doing for the last few days-"

"I understand, Hazel. Defending our warren and... did Captain Holly spoke to you about me getting home?" I questioned him.

"Slightly a bit. I heard that you two and Hannah spoke with The Hedge Wizard. As well she stated that someone has to give up their life for you to return you home, if that's way you meant."

"Unnecessary sacrifice. I mean... are you saying that I'm pretty much stuck here?" I questioned him.

Hazel sighed and shook his head. "I'm afraid so. You're not planning to stay here at our warren, aren't you?"

"As a sized rabbit, what do I have to lose?"

"What are you going to lose is your family. And you told me that you're trying to become a teacher and you have to search for work for yourself. What are you going to do?"

I wasn't sure if I wanted to stay here now, because I'm conflicted of not wanting to lose someone from the down, only to have me return home. However, if no one dies, I'll probably not see my family again. I was basically torn from what I'm trying to decide.

"I learned more from you, as equally that I taught you guys so much, about mine world, as you taught me about your world." I stated. I than shook my head and sighed. "Well, if no one dies, by a miracle of course, I could always find my way home. I could be able to wander around a city and find myself at an airport to return home. Although, I'll be living like a mouse, like Stuart Little." I grabbed a bottle of water and drank the whole bottle from thirst. Hazel was surprised to hear from what I said, that he has fewer words. "You know... someday perhaps... not tomorrow, but maybe in the future... or in Heaven... this will all going to end. No fighting, no fear of one another, no tears, no anger... we'll just be with God in the end."

"I know we'll help you find your way home, but we're not going to have you wander like a lost rabbit, until he found himself a new warren. Nor anyone would die, but we're willing to protect you at all costs." Hazel placed his paw on my shoulder.

"There's one thing, I forgot to say of course... in a bad like this though."

"What is it?" he asked.

"I was going to say we could finish our _Bobstones_ match tie break, than." I answered.

Hazel noticed a few pebbles were on the ground. He scooted them towards me. "Well... as we're cherished friends, human and a rabbit... and probably perhaps the last game of _Bobstones_... I think we better finish this match to break the tie."

I shared a smile exchange, as he did too. I could even notice a small tear fell through his eye, before he turned around. I shuffled a certain amount of pebbles until I hid them in my hand.

" _Bobstones_ guess." I cued him. He turned around, however before he could make a guess. We wished each other a good luck and decided to keep the tie break match just between us and not let anyone know about this, until the war was over. And so, we started the final match between us in a game of _Bobstones_.

 _To Be Continued..._


	124. Episode 37: The Beginning of The End P3

The Beginning of the End Part 3

Later in the evening, I found myself in the burrow trying to get some sleep. I started to have a nightmare that I couldn't feel like I could wake up from. I found myself outside of the warren to see... war. The final battle between our warren and Darkhaven. Everyone was at a frozen state, I noticed the Darkhaven rabbits were climbing up the hill, as some fall into traps or attacked by birds. Time than rewinds to see in the evening, the Darkhavens did their final push to siege our warren, I than saw Woundwart heading towards Hazel and Campion... and I was there too. I was in tears for some reason. From what may lie ahead... or tiresome from seeing war. I than noticed the clouds were forming together to see _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_ coming down from the ground and frightening the rabbits. He than turned towards me and stated...

 _He must die... to have you return home._

I finally woke up in my burrow from my dream or premonition. I'm beginning to wish that I was at home and I had enough of war and tired to see rabbits fight among themselves. I went through my backpack to find my note that I placed in there, after meeting with Scree. I read through it and I turned the note over to see I have a blank space. I decided to grab my pencil and got up to leave my burrow. As I was walking through the tunnels, I went passed through the kittens burrow to see the trio kittens: Gilia, Snowdrop, and Mallow were playing with Pipkin, Tyler and Taylor. I watched them for a bit, as I was unseen. Tyler than introduced Taylor to the _Junior Owsla_ , since they never fully asked for her name. As I listened, they began to tell the kittens on how the two met with each other. They met back at the orphanage around the same age and they're intelligent among their fellow orphans. No surprise there, since I knew Tyler for awhile now since he and Clover came to live in our warren. I than started to picture my younger sisters being with each other and chattering, as they played. A tear fell from my eye that I started to walk away, until Tyler spotted me.

"Andrew, are you alright?"

I turned to see him and the rest of the Junior _Owsla_ looking at me with concern. "Yeah... I'm alright. I just woke up and needed to get some fresh air."

"Be careful, the _Owsla_ are on guard and Bigwig is out there too, to keep watch for Woundwart and his army." Pipkin warned me.

"Alright, thanks for the heads up." I thanked them before I continued my way outside. When I got there, I saw Fiver and Silverweed talking to each other near the warren's entrance. They seemed by now they're inseparable since we brought Silverweed out of Darkhaven.

"Fiver, have you ever stop your visions from coming true?" Silverweed asked him.

"Yes, but it never works. You and I see what must be." Fiver answered. "Nothing can change it."

"When I was in _The Warren of Shining Wire,_ knowing there was a tomorrow was a good thing." Silverweed recalled his days back in Cowslip's Warren. "Now..." he than began to shiver a bit.

"It's something wrong, Silverweed?" Fiver asked out of concern for his new brother.

"Not yet." he than hopped by me, before continuing on inside the warren. I continued to head my way outside, until Fiver spotted me.

"Andrew, what are you doing up?" he asked.

"I just woke up and thought I should have some fresh air." I answered.

"Do you mind, if I sit down with you, if I may?" he offered for some company.

I nodded. "I don't see why not." I came outside and decided to set just nearby of one of the edges of the warren's defenses. The night was peaceful and the stars are bright as ever than the moon. We watched to see, if a shooting star appear.

"Something on your mind, Fiver?" I asked him.

"Nothing much, except about I could only think about is Woundwart and his army showing up anytime." he feared.

"So do I. I can't even stop thinking about it and I even had a dream of it just moments ago." As I sat down, my note fell from my pocket and Fiver spotted it. I tried to stop him, before it was too late. He began reading it. I shook my head with guilt. After finishing it, Fiver turned around at me.

"Why do you think, you may die here?" Fiver questioned. "We've always been protecting you so much."

"I know, it's just... I don't know if my real body been found or believe that I was in a hospital." I recalled about The Hedge Wizard revealing that I was in a hospital in a coma. Since then, I never had fallen out to return to my world. "And... I'm also scared."

"We have gone through with Woundwart and _Efrafa_... it'll be the same how it'll turn out for us against him and Darkhaven. You'll see." he tries to cheer me up.

"I do have that feeling, but I worry for in case a rabbit dies in battle. If someone dies from protecting me... I don't think I could ever forgive myself-"

"Don't say such things! I'm sure everyone will be alright. We haven't lost anyone during the Battle of _Efrafa_. And I guarantee nothing will happen to any of us during our next battle." Fiver spoke.

"True, but it'll be a miracle if it turns successful... however I still have a bad feeling that it won't turn great. Just what you said from a past vision that you visioned... 'Only a sacrifice of a friend can save the world today and bring a friend home, but the price of a friend will cost tomorrow. A friend will pay it, and we'll sorrow'." I feared. "And I don't think it's hard for me to say, but I can't."

"Who do you fear of losing the most, Hazel?" he asked.

I looked around a bit, until I saw Captain Holly on guard. Fiver than noticed who I was gazing at. "Captain Holly? I'm sure he'll be alright."

I felt a bit down and sad. "I don't know... we began to connect more, unlike when we first met. Now I fear of losing a friend that became well acquainted with, if he dies in battle."

"I'm sure nothing will happen to him. And who knows, it maybe not be him. It'll be someone else." Fiver shrugged his shoulders.

"Either way, I still wish they don't try to die for me, in effort for me to return home." I shook my head.

Fiver sighed, out of me feeling more down than before, as I continued to watch Captain Holly. He than started to head his way towards us. He must have listened to our conversation.

"Captain Holly. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Don't worry about it Fiver, I was meaning to speak with him either way. Why don't you get some rest." he dismissed it and had Fiver head back inside the warren, before looking back at me.

"Remember what I said, Andrew." he reminded me. I simply lightly smiled and nodded lightly, before Fiver went inside.

* * *

For hours, we than sat together, despite of hearing what went off nearby. It was just Hawkbit, who rolled a boulder down, as he pretended that Dandelion rescued him to get the mice or what I than been told later, they were voles; away from him. We than heard Bigwig ordered Dandelion to dig up a new one, as Hawkbit is relieved. After that commotion was over, everything went completely silent, as Captain Holly watched the night sky, at the same time on guard.

"It sure looks beautiful out here tonight. Sometimes, I can't understand why all nights should be peaceful like this." he spoke.

"Because other weathers are meant to be for certain reasons, like the rain, the snow, and maybe a humid evening." I said.

He chuckled briefly and noticed that I wasn't full engaged of our conversation. He took a deep breath. "Look Andrew... I understand after we have discussed and of course hearing from The Hedge Wizard... I need to fulfill the end of the bargain."

"No, you don't have to! You promised me that you wouldn't throw away your life for me! You told me the truth!"

"It wasn't just the truth. I only said it, so I wouldn't have you worried about me, when Woundwart and his army show up in combat." Captain Holly sadly put it.

"Holly, I already seen who you're, since we first met. You don't need to pretend! She's just manipulating you, as if she's _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_. Why should you, Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver, or anyone else have to die?!"

"Andrew." Captain Holly tried to calm me down.

"NO! You guys need to escape! Get as far away as you can, away from the hills! If Woundwart and his army show up, I can explain everything or maybe try to trick him, as if we had the disease overnight, killed us all, and I could pretend that I'm the lone survivor!"

"No, Andrew. Hazel's orders are clear and we're to defend the down! We're not willing to leave here and start all over! Especially making sure you get home safe."

I began to sob in tears. "You guys can't... I CAN'T JUST WATCH YOU ALL DIE FOR ME, EVEN YOU! I won't b e able to forgive myself, if you all perished or even you. I love you."

Captain Holly shockingly looked at me. "Andrew..."

"I mean I love you, as if you were in my family too... just like everyone else in this warren. You guys give me a home that I felt like I lived there for three years. I can't just watch you all throw your lives away. You deserve more than that."

He than came by to clean the tears from my eyes with his paws. We than noticed Hannah and Scree returned with Campion and Spartina. Hazel and Bigwig came out with amazement, even Blackberry came out to nuzzle Campion with rejoice. Campion briefly informed Hazel that Woundwart is near, since he was being forced to led Woundwart to our warren. Hazel reconciled with him for the fact that he was captured and also to save Blackberry. I than felt Captain Holly's paw turning my head towards him.

"I remember what your family is mostly come from military background, I heard. Would you give sympathy to those who ran away from their home in the face of their enemies?"

More tears fell from my eyes. I couldn't help, but to give Captain Holly a hug. Out of surprise, he didn't know what to do. After my tears fell onto his fur, he finally decided to accept my hug, as he hugged back with his paws, as he continues to comfort me.

 _However the last battle turns out, you can't say we didn't give it our best shot._ We heard Bigwig exclaimed.

 _We'll win. Because we fight to protect what we love._ Spartina added.

 _To Be Continued..._


	125. Episode 38: The Magic Prologue

The Magic Prologue

In the morning, we finished our final preparations of defenses in our warren. We kept ourselves on watch to see any sight of General Woundwart and his Darkhaven army. I was on guard near towards Captain Holly and Hyzenthlay. I over heard them talking that he done his best to make her smile and feel comfortable around the warren. He felt like he failed, despite of managing to answering her question if he would to do it again: he would simply tell her how much he respected her and how beautiful she is. It was than she told him that she's in love for Bigwig, but Spartina was with him. He than told her that he doubt of seeing him and Spartina together, because he confessed that Bigwig did have some strong feelings for her. He even added that he feared of not saying it because he thought that he was with her.

I smiled from seeing him, being a noble gentle-buck that he would be with Hyzenthlay, if Bigwig was too late that he'll be staying with Spartina. However, after being told and what Fiver visioned... I feel like anything could happen. I watched Tyler and Taylor staying next to each other, while attending with the Junior _Owsla_. For a brief moment, earlier I came to speak with Tyler and told him, if he has remembered the song that he'll play. He nodded his head with a smile, as he had _Ride of the Valykries_ on his playlist, after he decided to have it synced to his Zune HD. Some other animals were preparing for the assault from Hazel's signal. At the same time, we're still waiting for word from Dog and Tyler's Message Bird to deliver the news about Kehaar. But nothing has come yet. Scree and Hannah came back from their morning air patrol to inform us that Woundwart and his army is just around the corner and preparing for the attack.

Hazel had everyone ready for our positions for "The Final Battle" that we wanted to officially called it "The Battle to End All Wars". As most of the bucks were by the boulders at the ready, the birds at the trees ready to strike, Scree and Hannah waiting for Pipkin's signal, and others are at standby for orders to be given or ready at Hazel's command. I took a brief time to have my "Goodbye Letter" ready in my pocket, as well decided to do a brief recording on my phone for what's about to happen.

 _This is for the record... History is written by the victor. At times, History is filled with lairs. If he wins and we die, his truth becomes written... and ours is lost. Woundwart will be a conqueror. Cause' all you need to change the world is one good lie and a river of blood. He's about to complete the greatest trick and/or battle, if you will to call either way, that a lair has ever played on history. His truth will be the truth. But only if he wins the battle, and we die._


	126. Episode 38: The Magic Part 1

The Magic Part 1

Author's Note: Here it is... Season Three Finale Part 1. I would like to thank everyone one of you, who has read, reviewed, and even liked the series. I also highly appreciate and thank Supernova2015 for being my co-author and your ideas, as well as Gotham317 for your support and ideas too.

After doing a short recording, I exited back outside the warren to see Woundwart and his army are starting their charge at us, like we're defending The Alamo.

 _Destroy Watership Down!_ I heard General Woundwart exclaimed, as the Darkhavens were charging towards us. Woundwart was leading the charge, as I could see Vervain behind him with other Darkhaven rabbits beside him.

"All we have do is hold the high ground against Woundwart's attack." Hazel spoke.

"Well said, Obi-Won Kenobi." I complimented him.

"Are you serious of pulling this kind of pun at this time, Andrew?" Bigwig questioned me sternly.

"As if it was a final compliment not a insult."

"Either way, easier say than done Hazel." Bigwig turned back to Hazel.

We watched them, as the enemies were charging about halfway up. I than started to hear Richard Wagner's _Ride of the Valkyries_ from Tyler's Zune. It was starting to feel like we're in _Apocalypse Now_. Hazel signaled Scree and Hannah to take flight and dive at the enemy rabbits. Scree shouted with a war cry, as he dived at the enemies to knock them off their feet. As some of the rabbits were rolling down, until they reached towards Woundwart. He than spotted Scree was about to dive at him. It was his opportunity to claw at Scree's wing to knock him down. He managed to do a swipe, miraculously, it didn't kill Scree nor Hannah. Hannah flew off from Scree's back only to find herself that she's facing the enemy. She was about to be swiped from her life, however Scree came to her rescue at the right moment and flew back towards us. They made an emergency crash landing, as Scree's wing was injured from Woundwart's strike that caused him to be put out of action, as now he's being tended for his wounds.

"Boulder rollers, stand ready!" Hazel ordered the bucks at the boulders to prepare to roll the boulders down. I hurried over to Captain Holly to give him a hand. We both looked at each other, as we wait for our order.

"Are you ready, brother?" he asked me.

I nodded my head. "Ready when you are, Captain." He nodded back at me.

"Now!" Hazel signaled us.

We started to roll the boulders until it began to roll. The two were successful as it pushed the enemies back, but the our boulder stopped at halfway. I hurried down to give it a extra push, as Captain Holly shouted for me to comeback. I got over at the boulder and started to give it the strongest push from all of my might to make it roll down. After short seconds, I pushed very hard that the boulder rolled down, but I fell flat on the ground, exhausted while watching the boulder roll down at the enemy. A Darkhaven rabbit approached in front of me, as I was panting and trying to catch my breath. I was about to be cuffed. Until a rabbit pounced at him and kicked him with his hind leg, knocking the Darkhaven rabbit downhill. Captain Holly saved me.

"Get up, Andrew! They'll be charging at us!" he exclaimed, as he picked me up.

"I'm... I'm tired, I can't walk!" I was panting from pushing the boulder.

"You have too, now come on, lad!" he gave me a push to give me a boost, as we started to climb up back the hill. By the time we reached the top, Hazel ordered Pipkin to signal for the higher attack. Pipkin had the birds grab a acorn to drop them at the Darkhaven rabbits. Ironically, it was a brilliant idea for them to come up with for a brilliant Air Force. The birds formed a squad formation, before they went to high altitude to drop acorns, like bombs, at the Darkhavens. Despite of not being like actually bombs that explode, but the acorns did a solid good enough damage to knock them off their feet or bonk on their heads.

 _Attack! Attack!_ Woundwart ordered to press on of the charge. They still haven't given up yet, as if the acorns didn't do too much harm at them.

"They can't take much more of this!" Hazel realized that the bombing raid failed, that he has to move up to the next plan. "Yona, rolling quills, now!"

We than see Yona and her fellow hedgehogs formed a formation, before they began to roll down at the Darkhaven rabbits. It did bit better, as the hedgehogs have their quills do most damage, when they rolled onto them. Even at one point, as one of the rabbits fall back, he remarked a phase that totally is relatable to a movie character.

 _Oww, something bit me!_ The Darkhaven shouted in pain.

However, it didn't last, as General Woundwart and Vervain continued to push forward, as the rest resume to follow them. At that point, it was now like "The Battle of Alamo".

"This is it!" Hazel and the others started to stand back, towards our barriers, as we await for them to come up the hill. "Hold up."

Seconds later, Woundwart and his army reached to the stop and split off to attack us off. I had my improvised stick that I made the night before and was ready to combat. As the rabbits were being attacked upon, I was being attacked a quite of bit. I continued to hold my ground for every move they make. Captain Holly and a few rabbits managed to rescue me at some point. Captain Holly did the most, but at one rescue attempt, he was being clawed at his hind leg. I had to tackle the Darkhaven rabbit and managed to knock him out. We continued to fight on, and on. At one point, Taylor was defending herself, before a Darkhaven was being kicked and was about to land on her. Pipkin dived just in time to push her away before the landing, but it squashed Pipkin.

"PIPKIN!" Taylor shouted. It caught Bigwig's attention and mine. We hurried over to see the Darkhaven got back up on his feet and noticed the injured Pipkin. Before he could strike him, Bigwig pounced on the Darkhaven rabbit just in time, as I picked him up and Taylor helped him head back to the warren to be tended for his injuries.

* * *

The fighting pressed on for nearly hours, until Woundwart was underestimated for our defense that he than ordered his troops to fall back. We watched them withdraw from battle to presume that they'll be regrouping to rethink their next strategy to attack us. We cheered for our success of our stand off for the time being, before started to count on the injured and the missing. It would be in the late afternoon, we're making progress to count for the injured, losses, and MIA, Missing In Action. I was attending some of the wounds, and finally managed to help Captain Holly from his wound.

"You fought very well, Andrew. I could have you enjoyed with my _Owsla_ back in Sandleford, if you were there and if that warren was still there." he commended me.

"Thanks, however, I really have to thank you for not leaving me behind to be chewed up by Darkhaven rabbits." I thanked him, to put a bit of a joke that he chuckled. I than just finished wrapping a bandage on his wound to cover it. "There, you should be better after some little rest."

"No, there won't anytime of rest until this battle is over."

Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig came towards us to ask about how are we. "How bad is it, Holly?"

"Just a scratch. I'll be right as rain in no time." Captain Holly answered.

"And you, Andrew. How are you holding up?" Hazel asked me.

"I'm fine and dandy somewhat. I just hope that Pipkin is alright." I answered and felt worried for Pipkin. We than saw Tyler, Taylor and Pipkin coming out of the warren to see Pipkin is back on his feet. Even Taylor thanked him, with a nuzzle and a kiss. It even made Pipkin feel a bit blushed, while Tyler giggled from Pipkin's blushing.

"He seems to be better now, thank _Frith_." Bigwig added, while thanking _Frith_ that Pipkin is better. It would be painful for him to see his close son being killed in action.

"The battle took a lot out of us." Hazel remarked.

"Too right. We're out of boulders, most of the hedgehogs haven't made it back, Scree can't fly..." Bigwig agreed.

"... and there are lot of wounded." Fiver finishes.

"Yes, but thank God that we haven't loss any life yet." I added.

"Hazel, Bigwig!" we heard shouting and it was coming from Spartina, as she was hopping towards us. "We have one missing rabbit... Hyzenthlay."

We turned at her and gasped. We can't believe that one of our rabbits is missing. "What happened?" Bigwig asked.

"It's mine fault... I believe that she was bit jealous of my combat skills that she even tried to fight too. Only to be kidnapped by Woundwart." Spartina felt guilty.

It was the worst now that we have a rabbit captured and being held as hostage. We even started to hear Woundwart shouting from the bottom of the hill that we have a glimpse of him holding tight on Hyzenthlay, as she struggles to free herself.

 _Surrender Watership Down and yourselves... or she dies at Ni-Frith!_

We had until the full moon rises, that we have to give ourselves up to have her free, but we know it would only be a trap. "We can't give up ourselves, he would only kill all of us too!" I exclaimed.

"We can't hold off another attack like the last, neither. Woundwart knows what to expect now and he's already changed tactics by holding Hyzenthlay hostage." Bigwig spoke.

"Pipkin, are you better for a duty task?" Hazel turned towards Pipkin.

"I'm better... still feel bit bruised, but I can help, Hazel-rah." Pipkin answered.

"Alright, have Darkling set up for an aerial watch on Woundwart's troops. Tell him to warn us if they start moving and/or something has happened to Hyzenthlay." Hazel gave an order to Pipkin. Pipkin firmly saluted, before he headed to inform Darkling. "We'll leave a string of night guards, get everyone else back to the warren."

We than had some of our rabbits stand guard for watch of defense, as we called everyone else to our warren to discuss for the next plan. I could only hope that Hazel would want to keep up with the fighting and form a plan to free Hyzenthlay. Before I entered back inside the warren, I looked back at the sun setting at the horizon in hopes of Dog and The Message Bird coming back with news, as well with Kehaar to give us his last help.

 _I made a deal with him. We agreed to a deal that I become younger, only to give up my life for you... to return back to the Human World._ I heard a voice that something is bound to happen, but I can't let it happen. Not now, not ever. Even if it costs me to live the rest of my life in Watership Down or died in combat tonight.

 _To Be_ _Continued_...


	127. Episode 38: The Magic Part 2

The Magic Part 2

When we got inside, we waited for what Hazel would say. Bigwig was chatting with Spartina to compliment each other of their combat skills. Hawkbit questioned for what plan that Hazel has in store, while Dandelion was optimistic. Seconds later, He joined in with Clover, as they were thinking of ideas after the war is over. Blackberry and Campion catching up with each other and wanted to be with each other after the war is over or in death. Hannah tries to cheer Scree up, so his wings could recover. I even noticed that Silverweed had a moment when he placed his paw on her head. He gasped and dismissed it, until he went off, presuming to speak with Fiver about Hannah's Magic. I watched Hazel and Primrose speaking to each other. I assume that he was asking her for help on what to say.

I was alone at a corner and until I saw Captains Holly and Broom coming in, as two bucks were relieving them.

"I guess you could use some company." Captain Holly offered if he and Captain Broom could join me.

I nodded. "Sure, I'll like that."

"Anything happening yet, hey-what?" Captain Broom asked.

"Not yet, we're still waiting for Hazel to speak." I answered.

"I'm sure Hazel would come up with something." Captain Holly spoke, as they settled themselves in.

"Did I ever tell you guys about what I do for living?" I decided to start a conversation with them. The two turned their heads towards me.

"You say that you work at a... what's it called?" Captain Holly tried to remember.

"It's retail. Before I came here, meaning to this country, I was being offered for my promotion for my hard works. The associate overheard our conversation and she took me to aside and debated about me promoting. It turned into a stupid argument, because I'm just wanting to make a better of myself at work and doing my best to earn my living. Now since two years, that I've been let go, since I'm here. I'm not too sure I'll be able to get it or want it... if I ever return home."

"Oh, brush it off to the side, hey-what. You have done enough here! If you ever return home and still offered it, I recommend you take it." Captain Broom smiled.

"Yes, and I'm sure you'll be able to receive the promotion. Your commitment here is astonishing, since we went to Cowslip's Warren. You stayed by Fiver's side, without leaving him alone. Helped free Primrose and Blackavar from _Efrafa_ , and helped to find food for _Frith's Feast_ , which eventually finding Tyler." Captain Holly agreed.

"If I ever return, probably I wanted to see the coast and/or see my family again. I'm sure they miss me." I started to think of my plans if I ever return home, on what're the first things to do.

"Nothing better, than staying with your family, my boy." Captain Broom stated.

"You'll see them... soon when it is over." Captain Holly patted me on the shoulder.

"Everyone, may have your attention please." We than heard Hazel trying to get our attention. We gathered around towards him, so we could hear what he has to say. "Today, we won the first skirmish in 'The Last Battle of Woundwart', but his army outnumbers us. He'll keep coming, attacking to the last warrior. If we go on fighting, many of us will die and in the end, I fear we'll lose. It's time to abandon Watership Down."

The gasps of disbelief and shock came from all of us, including myself, because I was with them when they found their new home and had to dig from scratch.

"I'll stay and fight to the end, with any others who volunteered to join me in the last stand. We'll give the rest of you time to escape, to find another Watership Down."

Everyone remained silent. Speechless if they wanted to either leave and find a new home or fight to the death, while defending their only home.

"I've been with you guys for two years, since I was trapped here. If I ever wanted to go home, I would stay to the end and finish this battle before returning to my home and family." I spoke up. "I'm staying!" I raised my right hand in oath that I won't leave, until the battle is over.

Hawkbit stepped towards me and turned towards Hazel. "If you think I'm heading off to start digging a new warren, you're off your stick, Hazel. I'm staying!" One by one, they all raised their right paws in support to stay and defend to the end. Hazel wasn't even close of being surprised from what we decided, as he answered Primrose about what she said.

"Then, we make our stand here. We fight for every patch of ground, every burrow, until Woundwart's army lies in ruins! We shall never surrender!" We all cheered for Hazel and the decision to fight to the end.

"Ahh, hear that Captain Holly? That's the sound of victory." Captain Broom turned to his fellow captain.

"Just a matter of thrashing Woundwart and his Darkhaven army, eh Captain Broom?" he replied back.

"Details my boy, details."

The three of us nodded, before I stepped forward. "Also, as Heaven as my witness, this will be the day that we should celebrate after our victory, with some country music hoedown!"

They stopped cheering and turned towards with confused faces. "WHAT?!"

"I meant to say, that we should celebrate with some celebration of music and dance after our victory!" I rephrased and they cheered once again.

* * *

After our brief regroup and applauding of Hazel's speech, Hazel with a few others, including myself exited outside of the warren to discuss about freeing Hyzenthlay.

"Either we rescue Hyzenthlay, Woundwart will be back before dawn, Hazel." Campion told him.

"Then we need to come up with a few ideas on what to do to free her and him returning." Hazel stated.

"You mean, don't really have a plan?" Spartina questioned.

"There's nothing odd about that." Hawkbit told her. "We just muddle along."

"Like we always have." Tyler added.

"And sometimes, we just muck about." Dandelion also stated.

"Until we come up with a bold plan." I added as well.

We than saw Bigwig and Captain Holly coming towards, after they were speaking to each other, away from us. "We've got a plan." Bigwig stated.

"I suppose it involves all of us charging fearlessly down the hill, ears flapping in the wind." Dandelion assumed.

"Nope, just me. Campion is been telling us how Darkhaven operates, you move up by challenging someone to combat. If you win, you take their rank. Isn't that right, Campion?"

"It's their law." Campion answered.

"You can't be serious, Bigwig. I remember seeing you and Woundwart battle the last time. I'm no fool, but you were nearly killed that Campion had to save you." I doubted the idea.

"While Bigwig challenges Woundwart to combat, we'll be rescuing Hyzenthlay, until Bigwig is able to hold himself off from Woundwart and distracting them." Captain Holly added.

"Yes, as a diversion, I'll challenge Woundwart to single combat. If I win, I take command of his army." Bigwig stated.

"Oh, I wouldn't feel right fighting you in your army, Bigwig." Hawkbit stated. "I mean, I do it, but it wouldn't feel right."

"Twit, I'd send him home! Battles over just like that, after Hyzenthlay is safely back in our warren."

"You wouldn't stand a chance." Campion doubted. "Especially after last time, you two fought."

"Just as you can't whip him, doesn't mean I can't win with a bit of luck, I'll have him." Bigwig debated.

"It's not just that Bigwig. Besides if you're planning to fight him, we only needed a short time for you to hold him off, until Hyzenthlay is rescued." I spoke up.

"Alright, Bigwig. It's worth a try, in hopes to get Hyzenthlay out." Hazel approved.

"Right, then. I'm off and I won't be long." Bigwig headed off, as Captain Holly follows. I started to follow Captain Holly, until he spotted me and halted.

"Andrew, what are you doing?" Captain Holly questioned me.

"I'm coming with you." I answered.

"No, we needed you stay back at the warren." he refused.

"I'm coming with you to help you free Hyzenthlay. You wouldn't be able to do it alone."

Captain Holly slightly smiled, while shaking his head. "Alright, Andrew. Just be careful and don't leave my side. We're going to work as team to free her."

I nodded to his agreement. As we headed down the hill, I didn't want to follow along, but I was going to do every attempt to make sure he lives. In hopes to beat _The Black Rabbit_ to the punch, if what Captain Holly stated to me was true about the two bargaining a deal.

 _To Be Continued..._


	128. Episode 38: The Magic Part 3

The Magic Part 3

The three of us started downhill near towards where Woundwart and his army are resting. We peeked to see any sight of Hyzenthlay. We than spotted her, as she was being guarded by two Darkhaven troops. It was the time that Bigwig went on his way down to seek for Woundwart, while Captain Holly and myself went for another direction to avoid detection. We waited by the bush to have a clearing from the two guards.

 _WOUNDART! FRONT AND CENTER! YOU MANGY, EMBLEER RAH!_ We heard Bigwig shouting for General Woundwart. The guards were caught off guard and decided to see what was going on about their ears from what they have heard. The attention is being drawn to Bigwig, as Woundwart spotted him. We exited out of the bushes to ensure Hyzenthlay that she's being rescued.

"Hyzenthlay, are you hurt?" I asked.

"No... it's my fault that I let myself get captured." she felt regret.

"We know it's not your fault. Spartina told us." Captain Holly comforted her.

"Where's Bigwig? I heard him." she asked.

"He's going to challenge Woundwart to combat." I answered.

"What? He won't stand a chance."

"I know, that's why we need to hurry, before we're being spotted." Captain Holly stated.

We sneak quietly away from the commotion, as we slightly watched Bigwig starting to combat with Woundwart. Bigwig was gaining the advantage on his ground, until he was given a thrashing that rolled him to the ground and unconscious. The Darkhavens cheered for imminent victory. I even caught a glimpse of Vervain, as he was shocked and surprised about Bigwig's combat against Woundwart.

"Bigwig!" Hyzenthlay shouted for him. The commotion silenced, as they turned towards us.

"You two leave, now!" Captain Holly warned us.

All the sudden, Woundwart began to charge at us. Captain Holly jumped in front of us. Woundwart reached towards Holly, as the two began to combat. He than thrashed Holly to the ground and started to beat him. I rushed over, as Hyzenthlay tried to stop me, but I pushed her away. I charged at Woundwart, but thrashed me, before resuming to brutally thrash Holly. Bigwig was than starting to wake up from being unconscious and seeing what was happening. In that moment... Woundwart raised his paws and give one final blow onto Holly's head and was thrashed unconscious. In seconds... Holly was still on ground and didn't moved. Didn't see him breathing.

"Holly? Holly?! HOLLY!" I got up rushed towards his side, but being blocked by Woundwart.

"I'm afraid your Captain is being sent to _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_." Woundwart taunted, before he and the others laughed.

Bigwig gasped to see his captain was murdered, as Hyzenthlay was in tears as she picks Bigwig back up.

"Sadly, this captain is now a waste and loss to your warren." Woundwart than rolled lifeless Holly to the side.

"DON'T TOUCH HIM!" I shouted at him. He than hopped towards me.

"Now it's your turn to join him and you won't be able to return to your home." Woundwart raised his paw over my head.

"Andrew, RUN!" Bigwig warned me to run, but I wasn't afraid. I would rather be dead, after I just saw someone I grew to trust was murdered. I closed my eyes and waited for the inevitable.

* * *

 _KYAAAAAAAHHHHHH_

Something flew right at him and knocked Woundwart to the ground. Everyone was astonished that something flew from the sky and knocked Woundwart to the ground. I looked up to the sky to see... it was Kehaar!

"GO AWAY, YOU STICKY WOUNDWART! LEAVE KEHAAR'S FRIENDS ALONE!" Kehaar shouted.

"Great _Frith_... I can't believe it." Bigwig was too astonished that he couldn't believe he's eyes.

"KEHAAR, YOU'RE BACK!" I shouted in praise.

"Go, hop back up to Watership Down!" Kehaar told us to withdraw. "I'll hold'em off for a moment!"

I watched Bigwig being escorted by Hyzenthlay up back the hill. Before I could join them, I turned to see Captain Holly's body was deathly still, but no one was there. I couldn't leave his body with Woundwart nor with _elil_. I rushed over to him and used my strength to pick him up. I couldn't be able to carry him, as I got to the hill, because he was strong. As most of the Darkhavens retreated, Woundwart managed to give a minor scratch on Kehaar's wing, but he safely crashed landed back to Watership Down. Woundwart was heading towards me, until he was knocked to the ground again... but this time it was Dog. He barked at me in greeting.

"Dog!"

He rushed over towards me and gave me some kisses, until he looked down to see Holly's corpse. Dog whimpered in sadness. "Please, help me Dog. Help me carry him!"

The beagle gently picked up Holly onto his back, as we both climbed up the hill to rejoin with Bigwig and Hyzenthlay. As we're about halfway of climbing back to the top, I heard Woundwart cursing in shout. "I'LL GET YOU HUMAN! IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO! TONIGHT... IF I TAKE OUT THE RABBITS, THAT SEAGULL AND YOUR DOG, YOU WON'T HAVE ANYONE TO HELP YOU!"

I took advise that he and his army would return tonight. When we got to the top, I grabbed Holly and gently picked him up, before accidentally tripping to the grass. When I landed on top of him, I began to sob in tears to still see he still hasn't returned. I wept bitterly, because he did fulfill the deal he made with _The Black Rabbit_. He wasn't going to return back nor be able to spend the rest of his years at Watership Down. Worst of all, it brought me to shame and guilt that he died so I was able to return back home. I embraced Holly's body that I couldn't leave him, after spending weeks with each other, since we began to connect and grew close friendship. Now I felt like I lost a true friend.

I felt someone's paw touched my shoulder, but I rejected that I couldn't leave Holly's side. "Andrew! It's Hazel, what happened?"

"IT'S HOLLY! HE'S GONE! WOUNDWART KILLED HIM! KEHAAR AND DOG CAME TO OUR RESCUE! HYZENTHLAY CARRIED BIGWIG, DUE TO HIS INJURIES! I HAD TO BRING HOLLY'S BODY BACK, AFTER HE SAVED ME! I COULDN'T LEAVE WITH WOUNDWART OR WITH _ELIL_! NOT WITH THEM! IT'S NOT FAIR, HE SHOULDN'T DIE FOR ME! It's not fair!" I burst into tears more than before.

"It's alright, Andrew. It's alright. He's home, you both are. And he's with _Frith_ now. At _Frith's_ _Meadow_." Hazel comforted me.

Everyone started to come out of the warren to see what was happening, until someone informed them that Holly was killed. Everyone gasped with disbelief, as some were drawn to tears. I noticed Bigwig came forward to see his Captain lying dead. Deep down he was holding back his tears, at the same time, he was feeling the rage boiling inside him that Woundwart murdered his fellow rabbit and Captain. Some of the bucks, mostly the rabbits that knew Captain Holly came to his side and picked him up, and carried him back inside the warren.

With Kehaar's return to our rescue, it was a rejoice that he has returned to help us, after he told Hazel about Tyler's Message Bird. Gluck told Kehaar to go ahead, as The Message Bird was with Gluck, so she could send him a message when it was over. However, it was terrible timing that he came, because we lost a rabbit in this warren... someone that most knew him back at Sandleford, while others remembered him as a Captain of the _Owsla_. His body was laid to rest at the center of The Honeycomb, as Hazel took a brief moment to say a few words about Captain Holly. Even Bigwig remembered him, as a stubborn Captain that he would always ordered him to tout the line with the others. Hyzenthlay spoke briefly that she called him a friend, since he was trying to help her smile and leave the pain behind Darkhaven. I even had a brief moment to say he was a true friend, unlike anyone could have. The only thing I regret was that I barely spoke with him much, since we first met. I wished that I could have spoke with him more, even before he was changed to a young buck he once was. Like Hazel, Holly was like the eldest brother to me that I could consider him to be family to me. We than bowed our heads in silent, as Hazel lead first...

 _Our Frith..._ and than others joined him. ... _Our hearts have joined the thousand..._ I than finished... _For my friend has stopped running today_. Afterwards, I silently said a short prayer to thank God for letting me know Captain Holly and to see he's safe in the afterlife.

* * *

After for a hour or two of grieving... and of course attending to Bigwig's wounds from his battle with Woundwart. If it wasn't for Hyzenthlay, he would have probably been killed. It was now in the evening that we overheard that Woundwart and his army were making a final assault. They began to charge up the hill again, as Hazel ordered us to ready up for the acorns, while Darkling and his fellow bats attack the Darkhaven troops. After it failed, Hazel ordered us to fire the acorns at Woundwart's troops. Some were successful hits that cause them to slip and fall, as others were hit on the head. After the acorns didn't work, it was a all out close combat. Everyone battled each other. I was able to fight a few of Darkhaven rabbits, as I felt like my rage boiled inside from losing Captain Holly. As I managed to battle a few and nearly injuring myself, as I gave the worst of those rabbits. They were too strong, that Hazel ordered everyone to fall back. Everyone fell back, except Hazel, Tyler and myself. He ordered us to join the others, but we both refused. I refused only because I was not going to lose another older brother. Than we were being surrounded by Woundwart and his army.

"It's over Hazel. My rule begins... I'm 'The Bringer of Doom'... in the name of _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_." Woundwart marches towards Hazel.

"You're a windbag, Woundwart." Hazel rebuttal. "And you'll have to get past me first!"

Than in a second, the two engaged into combat. Tyler and I watched, as the wind started to pick up for some odd reason. We weren't for sure what it was, as we resumed to watch the two rabbits combat with each other. Woundwart tossed Hazel to the tree and knocked him unconscious.

"Hazel!" I shouted. Tyler went over to him to see that he's still alive, but injured from his head hitting from the tree. He continued to guard Hazel, as I was about to face Woundwart.

"Come on! You know you can't fight me! Perhaps I could give you an offer... perhaps I'll spare you, as I destroy all the rabbits in this warren... after this warren is cleared... I would have you return back to your world, as a free human would." Woundwart spoke.

I shook my head. "You and I would never reach to a bargain... not after you killed Captain Holly."

"Very unwise..." he than charged at me, as I pulled out my blade that I have in pocket. He pounced at me to the ground, as I have my knife sharpen... I managed to cut his front toes that he wouldn't be able to use to much. It still didn't stop him.

"How does it feel... Woundwart. Back at _Efrafa_ , you ordered everyone to be marked and now you have your own mark... where you probably marked others... no longer." I smirked.

"That was long ago... I especially remember I tried to treat you as a guest, but you tried to run away... now I'll be able to kill you." He charged at me again, as he started to bite my cheeks and even claw on them as well. I give him a few stabbings, but like before, it didn't hurt him. "Don't you remember, it didn't work like the last time."

I gave him a powerful kick that flew him away from me, until he made landed on his feet. When I got up, I noticed that the skies went from dark to dark purple with heavy clouds rolling in. The wind howled and blew heavily, as if a storm was to hit Watership Down. Tyler and Campion managed to help escort Hazel back to the warren, after he woke up from being unconscious. As the two bucks headed inside, Tyler stayed and watched what was unfolding. The grounds began to shake, as it started to tear the earth apart. The Darkhaven rabbits started to be lifted up to the clouds and vanished... like being sucked into a vortex of a tornado. Most of the rabbits hanged on, as some started to flee in terror and one of them, without surprise was Vervain.

"'Therefore this is what the Lord says: 'I will bring on them a disaster they cannot escape. Although they cry out to me, I will not listen to them.' I quoted a Bible verse from Jeremiah 11:11.

Something started to emerge from the clouds and came down onto earth. The shadowy rabbit figure was none other than... _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_. Woundwart bowed his head. "I'm your servant, _Black Rabbit of Inle'_. I'm here to do your work."

 _My power is not from this world, Woundwart. And no creature invokes my name for their own, dark ends._ The _Black Rabbit_ spoke, before he unleashed a fury wind that started to blow the remaining Darkhaven rabbits to the vortex. The last rabbit remaining was Woundwart, as he was holding his grip onto the grass.

"I'll never stop, Hazel! Never!" he cursed, as the wind was starting to pick him up. Tyler than jumped on top of him and held him to the ground. It was a moment that shocked me and Hazel, the most of all however was Woundwart. After minutes of a hellish storm that _The Black Rabbit_ unleashed, the storm started to cease and the morning dawn skies began to come out from the dark clouds.

I than remembered that Woundwart was alive. I was about to make his end, before Tyler stopped me. "That's enough, Andrew! That's enough, it's over. We won. Let him be on his way... there's no more point of fighting."

I looked back at Woundwart, as he was shocked, in disbelief that he was spared. He looked back at Tyler. "Why... why did you save me from _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_?"

"I told you General, I hold some respect to you from combat." Tyler recalled. Woundwart stepped back, before he fled and never set foot again on Watership Down. Hazel and others watched him flee, as Vervain and a few surviving others joined him.

"It's over... Woundwart... his army... they're gone." Hazel was amazed at the same time in shock that they fled, as the others were taken. "All gone."

"I missed the whole fighting for this?!" Bigwig scoffed.

"You weren't in big shape, Uncle Bigwig. Not after Woundwart thrashed you." Tyler recalled.

 _Hazel! Hazeellllll!_ We heard someone shouting. It was Hannah running towards us. "He took 'The Magic' from me, and used it himself."

"Silverweed?" I than remembered about "The Magic" that it would take an effect of anyone who used it. We than saw a rabbit was hopping towards to see Silverweed... he was still himself. "Silverweed!"

"But, nothing happened to him." Hannah added.

"It's true. I used 'The Magic' to save Hannah, but it worked... however, nothing happened to me." Silverweed was surprised that he was still himself.

"Than who could it have been than?" Fiver wondered.

I sighed and looked down in grief. "It's Holly..."

"What?!" everyone gasped.

"Impossible, he never used 'The Magic'." Hannah disagreed.

"It's not that... he saved me and that was the deal he made with _The Black Rabbit_. 'Only a sacrifice of a friend can save the world today and bring a friend home, but the price of a friend will cost tomorrow'-"

"'A friend will pay it, and we'll sorrow.'" Fiver finished and remember about his vision. I fell down onto my knees, in tears.

"That's our friend, who paid it, as we sorrow... Holly was the one, who saved me from Woundwart... only to sent me back home! It's all my fault! HOLLY, PLEASE COME BACK!" I bashed my fists on the earth, as I my head was lowered in grief. "NEITHER ONE OF US SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT OR TO GIVE THEMSELVES UP TO BRING ME HOME! I WOULD RATHER DIE, NOT HIM! IT'S NOT FAIR!"

 _To Be Continued..._


	129. Episode 39: Epilogue Note

Author's Note: And that's the all the major episodes of Watership Down! I wanted to thank you all for reading the series, and especially to those who helped me from the beginning! However, this is not the end of the Watership Down Series... this is just the beginning of the end. A new ending would be coming soon. Stay Tuned for a Epilogue Season 4!


	130. Episode 39: Epilogue Part 1

Epilogue Part 1

We all returned to Watership Down to rejoice. We than saw The Message Bird arrived as soon we began to briefly celebrate our victory. The Message Bird announced that the message was for Kehaar. It was from Gluck... "Hello, Kehaar. I wish you the best of luck returning to Watership Down. It seems you also miss there too. So I told Tolk that we may return to Watership Down. However she was against it, so I told to Tolk..." Well basically afterwards, she than showed up near the warren's entrance and was happy to see Kehaar is still alive in one piece, despite his injury on his wing.

Later on, we had an actually funeral for Holly. The short one we had was brief because we had to fight. This time, we had everything prepared. His body was still there on The Honeycomb. This time, I had a extra blanket that I was able to cover him, so he'll be warm and comfortable. Hazel made a long speech about who Captain Holly was: a Captain from Sandleford, the one who tries to stop Hazel and his band from leaving their old warren at the time, the rabbit we found and informed us that Sandleford was gone, and basically, a fellow rabbit, a friend, even a uncle to the kittens. However, Hazel added that his sacrifice was not in vain, because it was the turning point to our victory, because of _The Black Rabbit_ destroying the Darkhaven army, despite of Woundwart and Vervain survived, and the rest of the remaining scattered troops. After the speech, we buried him in the caverns at a isolate burrow, where no _elil_ could find him to be eaten. We bowed our heads in silence to reflect on him for the last time. The rabbits started to disperse back to The Honeycomb, as I waited to have my time to be left alone.

I entered the chamber and headed towards Holly's body. I unveiled the blanket from his face to see his deathly asleep. However, he looks content with peace. He wouldn't have to suffer nor deal with any pain and/or trauma he used to experience when we found him. I sat down beside, as I began to stroke his head, like a owner of a pet was been put to sleep and having to say his/her final goodbyes to that pet. My tear fell onto his face.

"I shouldn't let you die. I should have protect you." I sobbed.

I than pulled out my phone and put on a song to go over my grief. Until I changed my mind that I decided to sing from a song that I remembered from _Babe_. I continued to stroke him gently, as if I was about to sing a lullaby to one of my sisters.

 _If I had words_  
 _To make a day for you_  
 _I sing you a morning golden and new_  
 _I would make this day_

 _Last for all time_  
 _Give you a night_  
 _Deep in moonshine_

I turned to see Hazel was standing by the entrance of the chamber. He must have realized that I haven't came back. He knew how distraught and deep grief I was in.

"I thought you might want some company." Hazel insisted.

I shrugged without a choice of a yes or no answer. He came and sat next to me, as he placed his paw on shoulder. "I know losing someone is never easy."

"I have lost family members overtime and attending funerals, so that's somewhat normal. I just wished it wasn't Holly's." I spoke. "I feel like I'm responsible for his death. He came right in front of us, as Woundwart charged at me and Hyzenthlay. If I could have rescued him-"

"You couldn't have done nothing more. He was protecting you and don't feel guilty, we would never hold that against you."

"At times, I would rather have my life ended or could have saved him. Now I felt like I'm more alone." I sadly stated.

"No, that's not true. You have everyone here: myself, Fiver, Bigwig, Tyler, and many others. And of course, we're in each others hearts... even Holly in all of ours too." Hazel comforted me.

I tried to think of a good times, but only one could only pop into my head. "Isn't just me, or was he interested with Marvin Gaye's _Let's Get It One_? When the five of us traveled to Cowslip's warren. He was puzzled and wondered where it came from, until you guys spotted my phone was playing music.

Hazel chuckled. "See. Another important to recollect the good times." I nodded my head. "Come, we can't celebrate without you."

I decided to join along to celebrate Woundwart's defeat. I than noticed Hazel was starting to close the chamber. "No." I stopped him, as he turned back towards me.

"We have to make sure no _elil_ would enter here." Hazel stated.

"It's just..." I was wanting to stay with beside Holly for one more night before dawn. "... I just want to stay with him until dawn comes."

Hazel understood about my heartbreak, if he sealed it completely I won't be able to Holly forever. "Alright." Hazel smiled and we than hurried along to join the others.

* * *

When we got up there, everyone was cheering, as they were eating _flayrah_ , chatting with each other and telling each other tales. Tyler decided to tune his music on his Zune HD and he started to dance with Gilia. Even surprisingly, Pipkin and Taylor started to dance with each other, before they accidentally kissed each other. The rest of the kittens cheered them on. Rest of the rabbits who have mates: such as Hazel and Primrose, Hawkbit and Clover, Hickory and Marigold clanged onto each other for relief.

At one point, I noticed Hyzenthlay was all alone. I decided to join with her, as I sat beside her. "Not much of a party person, aren't you?"

"Party?" she asked.

"Celebrating, basically." I clarified.

"Oh, no I'm afraid." she answered, as we watched the others celebrate and joined each others' companies. "I'm sorry about Captain Holly."

I nodded. "I'm too. You two were close friends, I bet."

"Yes, he was always trying to get me to smile. He would wanted me to move on from my traumatic experiences back in Darkhaven. He was the first rabbit that I intend to share my life with."

"So I gathered, was there anyone else you were interested?" I asked.

She giggled a bit.

"Hey, I got you to smile." I caught her smiling, as Captain Holly wanted her to. "You do look beautiful when you smile. Even the way you are."

"Thank you." she smiled back at me. "As a matter a fact, Bigwig was my best choice. Just from how he looks at me."

"Than why don't you go talk to him." I encourage him. "Tell him how you feel."

"I want to, but there's only one problem..." she than pointed out to see Bigwig chatting with Spartina. "... seems to be he's in love with Spartina."

"I disagree... he has said some things about you or how he looks at you. He may change his mind. Just don't give up hope." I smiled. "You'll see."

"What about you? Have you ever fallen in love before?" she than asked me.

"I did. With another human, who came here. Her name was Sandy and she was held captive at _Efrafa_. We both connect at the time we first met and of course when we escaped and lived at Watership Down." I recalled about Sandy.

Hyzenthlay looked around for her. "Is she still here?"

I sadly looked down. "No... she left. She went back to my/her world. She couldn't handle with me. Maybe I wasn't right for her... or maybe I'm meant to be alone in life without a lover."

"I'm sure there's someone for you. She just has to be right for you." Hyzenthlay assured me.

"Thanks." I thanked her, until I overheard Bigwig and Spartina chat that caught my attention.

 _Spartina... you know how much I care and respect you now, especially your combat skills. I was wondering if you wanted to be my mate._ Bigwig asked.

Spartina was about accepted or answer his question, until she looked over at Hyzenthlay, as she looked down. _Bigwig... I'm not the right doe for you._

It shocked Bigwig. _Why, Spartina? We like each other and we have great in common._

 _Yes, but... this isn't fair. Not just to me, not to you, but for someone else who adores you very much. I love you, Bigwig. However, I won't accept. However..._ She than looked back at Hyzenthlay. _...she needs someone Bigwig. I think she really loves you and since Holly is gone. She feels like she won't have anyone. You two are great together and I could tell how you two look at each other. Go to her... and I'll always consider you a friend, Bigwig._

It was the most sensible thing that I ever heard her say through her times her. Spartina decided to be single, as Bigwig decided to speak to Hyzenthlay about being his mate. I watched him heading towards us.

"You know Hyzenthlay, maybe your luck or finding someone right for you is just around the corner." I informed her, as she than noticed Bigwig coming. "I'll leave you two alone." I got up from where I was sitting and decided to leave the party and head back to Holly. Before I left, I looked back at the two to see him speaking with her. I couldn't hear what he said. Until Hyzenthlay was shedding happy tears. The two shared a nuzzle... Hyzenthlay has accepted Bigwig to be mates.

"The two definitely belong with each other." Spartina came up behind me.

I nodded. "I agree... even Holly would wanted that."

"You have done well. I'm very surprised to see a human fighting alongside with rabbits against Woundwart and his army." she stated.

"Well... let's just say that I wasn't the only one." I spoke, as I pointed at Tyler and of course Taylor.

"Of course, they probably have done the most best of fighting skills I've ever seen out of kittens." she complimented.

"They did. And Spartina... I wanted to say I'm sorry on how I was very judgmental on you-"

"No, Andrew. I'm the one to apologize. I should have lied before you lots captured me. Worst of all of what happened to Comet and Blackavar-"

"You own us nothing. You were being forced to obey and follow orders. By now, I don't think any rabbit would hold that against you." I comforted her.

"I'm not sure... I feel worst from Hyzenthlay. I gave her the worst when we were both in Darkhaven. It'll be long until she has kittens to forgive me." she looked down.

"I'm sure she will. Even after what you did for her and Bigwig. He'll eventually tell her that it was your idea. Everyone has to forgive, sooner the better." We than noticed Bigwig and Hyzenthlay were heading to their burrows I believe, she stopped to gaze at Spartina, as she came forward.

"Spartina... I forgive you." It was unexpected for Bigwig, especially for Spartina. I was expecting it sooner. "And... thank you." She gave Spartina a sisterly nuzzle that brought me to tears.

"Well... I'm sorry. I'm going to bed. I'll see you tomorrow." I started to sob and ran. As I felt a feeling that it was near my time to leave.

* * *

My heart was beginning to break that I headed to the caverns and returned to Holly's chamber. I wasn't sure why I was coming back to his tomb, but it was probably because it'll be a last goodbye to him, even though it would have been better that he was alive, so we could all happily celebrate, before reality comes. I started to sob in tears over his body.

 _Don't be sad, human_.

I turned back to see _The Black Rabbit of Inle'_. "What do you want?"

 _Nothing... just only to fulfill the bargain that Holly and I have made. I understand your grief over him is tragic._

"It was to all of us, but I can't forget about him." I sobbed.

 _And you think the rabbits have forgotten about him?_ I shook my head to answer his question. _They're carrying on as you should. However, you even helped Hyzenthlay to carry on with her loss and gave her hope that led to her and Bigwig together._

"I didn't just do it. I know of it to come."

 _From all you have done with them here, perhaps I'll give you until tomorrow that you could spend the night or two if you wish._

"Thank you." I thanked him, as I was cleaning my tears.

 _As Hazel has shared his wisdom with you about loss... Holly would forever be in your heart, as well with everyone else in yours too. When you're ready, met me just further away from the farm and I'll be there to meet you and take you home._

I nodded. "I'll will."

"Andrew?"

I heard Hazel's voice, as he was searching for me and eventually found me where I was at. "I understand you're to leave."

I sobbed. "Yes... however, I was wanting to stay here for one more night. If I may?"

He warmly smiled, as he hopped towards me and cleaned my tears. "Of course..." I than looked behind him to see everyone in the warren was outside of the tomb. "I was figuring we stop and decided to give you company for the last night." Hazel added.

"Hi guys... how long were you all listening?" I questioned.

"Long enough, Andrew." Tyler hopped forward. "Long enough."

And so... everyone came into the chamber, one by one. They could understand that I couldn't leave Holly alone. So, everyone decided for the one and only night that we stay with him, as if he was alive and giving him company. We talked among each other, even eventually doing a little game of _Bobstones_. Hazel and I compete once again, only to be a tie and we decided to call a win for both of us. When it was late, Dandelion re-told the story of _Frith's Blessing_ to everyone, until after he finishes, we all began to feel tired and called it the night. When everyone feel asleep, I was the only still awake... I couldn't fall asleep. Even sleeping beside Holly, but I didn't want to lay on his side. I decided to sleep next him, as I kept my hand on his paw. It wasn't until I was getting more comfortable and it was from Hazel. He had me rest on his side, as my hand was on Holly. Now it was like I have the two best pillow comforters that I could ever have. I gradually than fell asleep, to only dream that we official enjoy our very last night together around the down/our warren, as we done things as we normally do around the down and the special about this dream was Captain Holly alive.

Despite of having a happy dream... everyone has to wake up back to reality at one point... in time.

 _To Be Continued..._


	131. Happy Fourth of July (Independence Day)

Hello my fellow readers! I just wanted to write to all to wish everyone a Happy Independence day (Fourth of July) to you all! Hopefully everyone is with their families and friends, barbecuing I bet, doing something special, fireworks in the evening... and of course celebrating a Happy 243rd Birthday to the United States of America. God Bless The USA! "Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave."


	132. Episode 39: Epilogue Part 2

Epilogue Part 2

In the morning, we reflected for the last time over Holly, before sealing the chamber forever. Bigwig and I were the ones closed the chamber with a heavy boulder. Before we closed it completely, I couldn't get a final glimpse of Holly's corpse, which is covered by a blanket that I decided to give to him to keep his lifeless body warm, since the caverns could be cold. I froze, as if I couldn't be able to close. A touch on the shoulder than came from Bigwig. He was waiting for me to help him close. I compose myself and returned to help Bigwig close the chamber. After it was closed, we stayed for few minutes, until one by one, every other rabbit headed their way back up to the warren. The only ones remaining were: Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig, and myself.

"I see you're packed and ready to leave." Hazel spoke.

I nodded my head without words.

"Just come outside of the warren, whenever you're ready. We'll all be waiting for you." Bigwig added.

The three than left me alone to say my official goodbye to Holly, as today was my last day with The Rabbits of Watership Down. It was like I had a long summer vacation with them. Well two to three years of my lifetime that I've been staying with them. If nothing happens, I probably lived here long enough that I grew old. Would I have died if I was in a coma for the rest of my life, if I didn't see myself in a hospital? Any possibility could happen. I walked over to the boulder and touched the door.

 _Where did I go wrong?_  
 _I lost a friend_  
 _Somewhere along in the bitterness_  
 _And I would have stayed up with you all night_  
 _Had I known how to save a life_

I sung quietly to myself, in grief, while thinking what I did wrong. Was it my fault? I was overcome with guilt. Partially, I could only say now that he's at the other side, in the beyond, that Holly is at peace. Probably reunited with his long lost departed family and friends that perished at Sandleford. I envied that I could see him here and alive that I could say a goodbye. My heart was too much at grieve that I couldn't stay long. I kept looking back at the boulder, before I headed my way back to the warren. When I arrived back at the warren, I headed back to my burrow to collect my belongings that I managed to pack earlier this morning. I looked around now to see a empty burrow. I guess it was the same feeling when someone was ready to move out that their room is empty. It was the same feeling I had when I moved out from my family, seeing an empty room. Lot of memories came into my mind that I started to see them with my eyes. When I first moved into my first burrow, Sandy and I sharing our burrow, and times that the rabbits entered to my burrow to have a chat or that I we shared a burrow for the night: mostly Hazel and Fiver, and latest was Captain Holly. I said my goodbye to my burrow, before heading my way out of the warren.

* * *

When I got outside, almost everyone was out there waiting for me to say their goodbyes. My heart began to ache, to say my goodbyes. The first ones that I had to say goodbye was to the kittens: Snowdrop, Mallow, and Gillia. I gave the trio hugs to ensure them that they won't cause too much trouble. and they promised that they'll be good examples. Tyler and Taylor were the next ones...

"It's strange." I spoke.

"What is it?" Tyler asked.

"When I wake up, I might even wonder if you're still alive. Until I would remember-"

He chuckled. "It's alright. But I'm still alive and well, until _The Black Rabbit_ comes for me."

"I just wish we could communicate to each other, in a way." I wished.

"They'll be a way. It may not be soon, but hopefully soon. I could always send my Message Bird all the way to the other side of the globe, if I have to." he smiled.

The two of us exchanged hand/paw shakes. I than turned towards Taylor. "Please look after him and make sure he doesn't run away."

"Hey." Tyler gently hit his paw on my arm, for a joke.

"I'll make sure." Taylor smiled. "I'll look after my brother."

The following were Clover and Spartina. I gave them hugs and whispered to them to make sure they look after them. They promised and been committed. The next one was Pipkin. I couldn't believe how much he has grew since the first time we met.

"I never thought I would watch you grow as well. Either way, I was very happy to meet you and the one of the first rabbits to talk to." I spoke.

"If it wasn't for you and Bigwig saving me and Fiver. We would have stopped running long time ago." Pipkin smiled. We both shared a hand/paw shake, before we shared a hug.

"Be careful, Captain Pipkin of the Junior _Owsla_."

"I will." Pipkin than gave me a friendly salute, as I salute back.

The next ones were Hickory and Marigold. "Do you really have to go?" Marigold asked.

I sadly sighed. "Sadly, yes. I'm sure I'll find a way to communicate to you guys somehow."

The two looked at each other and understood. "We'll be missing you very much and thank you for what you have done for us." Hickory spoke.

"Your welcome and it was honor. Kiefer Sutherland." I spoke and ended with a joke.

"For the last time... my name is-"

"It's Hickory, I know. I know your voice changed too, unlike before you sounded like him. Besides, it's not fun without to add some good humor for a while to say you sounded like someone else for a fun joke."

He than sighed. "Well... to look back. You're right."

"Good luck you two."

"And to you." they both said back.

Next was Captain Broom, the eldest of the rabbit and the longest captain. We both shared a hand/paw shake, before we shared a salute. "I'll be thinking of you more nowadays when I see my grandpas and they would remind me of you."

"What a good way to think of someone, hey-what. Just remember what I taught, my boy."

"I'll most definitely will and thanks for saving my life back in Redwall." I spoke, until I realized I named his old warren wrong.

"'Redwall', do you mean Redstone?"

"Right, Redstone! Sorry, it's just my mind is not right and a lot of things going in my head." I apologized.

"Quite alright. I know losing a close friend means so much to you. Just remember the memories that you and Holly share. You'll find ways to remember him by and your grief may pass." Captain Broom gave me his last advice.

I nodded. "Thank you."

The next ones to say goodbye was Kehaar, Gluck, and Scree. I told Scree it was a privileged to see him learn how to fly and later fighting along side with each other. As the same for Kehaar and he started to cry, that Gluck comforted him.

"Now don't cry, Kehaar. You'll soak your feathers." he almost made me cry, but I chuckled to keep myself from doing it.

"Sorry. Kehaar's heart sadden to see you go. You think of me and Gluck at 'Big Water'?"

"Of course. When I go to my favorite beach place, I'll make sure to think of you two and everyone here." I assured them. "Look after him, Gluck."

"I will." she smiled.

Hannah was next. "I'll miss you Hannah. I'll think of you, when I'm gone."

"Just see another mouse and you'll think of then, eh?" she smiled.

I chuckled. "I'll do."

Next were the trio of rabbits that usually cause Bigwig a headache: Hawkbit and Dandelion, and Strawberry. Well, to say now that Strawberry was now behaved unlike the duos.

"Can't believe you're leaving." Hawkbit stated.

"I know. I'll definitely miss you three, especially you two." I said. "We been through a lot especially."

"You promise to write a story about us, when you return, since we shared stories about _El-Ahrairah_?" Dandelion asked me to write a story of our adventures.

It was something that slightly thought about overtime. Up to this point, I felt like I wanted to and it encouraged me more from Dandelion. "I promise. And you know, it's funny I'll most definitely miss you two, especially Hawkbit when comes to your moodiness."

Dandelion laughed, as Hawkbit grumbled. "You have to do, did you?!"

"I know." I chuckled. "More importantly, Hawkbit. Make sure you look after Clover and Tyler well."

"I promise, besides since Woundwart is over, Clover and I would be able to settle down more." Hawkbit smiled.

* * *

The next ones were Blackberry and Campion. I couldn't able say a word out, as I was staring at the two.

"Something on your mind, Andrew?" Blackberry asked.

"I think you two are meant for each other." I smiled back.

"Thank you. If it wasn't for you, keeping him alive and giving me hope that we see each other again." Blackberry thanked.

"Especially saving my life that I owe you." Campion stated.

I shook my head. "You owe me nothing. Just... friendship."

"Friends." Campion smiled. We both shared each other hand/paw shake. "It's a honor of fighting along your side."

"Same for me too."

"Andrew." Blackberry hopped towards me. She than gave me a hug and I had to hug back. "Thank you, I'll miss you."

"Dido." I stated. She couldn't leg go, as I could hear her sadly sobbing.

"Blackberry." Campion tries to tell Blackberry. She than let go, as I cleaned her tears. Afterwards, Campion comforted her with a nuzzle.

Fiver and Silverweed were next. The two are now inseparable as brothers. I started to tear up. "It's like losing another pair of brothers and sisters in this family."

"We'll always consider you family, Andrew." Fiver said.

"Yes of course." Silverweed agreed, that I started to tear up more. "Don't sorrow, Andrew. Not for all of us. We're all content and safe now that Woundwart is gone. And my power of seeing tomorrow is gone now, thanks to Captain Holly." We than heard of chirping birds nearby that we couldn't help watch a few birds fly free. "Life is sweet, brother. Watership Down survives and the dreams lives on forever."

I nodded. "You're right. Life at times, is precious. It's just sad that Woundwart took Holly's away. It isn't fair."

Silverweed gave me a hug. "I know, brother. I know." I went back over to Fiver, exchanged hugs and hand/paw shake.

"Well, I guess this is a goodbye." I said to him.

"We may see each other. In our dreams, perhaps." Fiver smiled. "And... thank for believing in me too. About my visions."

"Of course." I smiled back. "You two take care." The two nodded.

Bigwig and Hyzenthlay were next. Hyzenthlay couldn't help, but hugged me, as I hugged back. "Thank you for giving me hope. As Holly did for me too."

"Your welcome... and you're smiling." I said. As she was now a smiling rabbit. "Make sure Bigwig stays out of trouble." I whispered to her ear.

"I promise."

"What did he say?" Bigwig questioned.

"Promises, promises." I joked that Hyzenthlay giggled. I than walked over to him. I gave him a salute and he did the same. I sniffled to hold back my tears. "May I?"

"May I, for what-" I gave him an unexpected hug. He was uncomfortable, as it was unexpected but he decided to take it. He just simply patted me in the back. He than cleared his throat. It was a sign to let go. "Take care, my ol' son."

"You two... Captain Bigwig." I said back.

Primrose was next. "Thank you for staying with us and defeating Woundwart."

"Your welcome. And thank you for not fully reprimanding me from what I tell to your children."

I heard Hazel chuckle, as Primrose shook her head with a smirk. "Take care of yourself."

We both gave each other a hug. "Make sure you and Hazel are safe and look after each other."

"I will." she whispered back.

Finally, it was Hazel's turn and the last. We stared at each other for minutes. It was hard to say goodbye to Hazel, since we have experienced so much together. Hazel took something off his neck that I barely noticed. He lifted it with his paw and giving it too me.

"I have heard from one of the lines in a movie, 'Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire.'." Hazel spoke, as he quoted a line from the classic _Schindler's List_. We may have seen the movie together, we watched together with everyone else, or seen me watching. It was hard to remember. It was a necklace that was with flower petals with a vine from a flower or another plant. I was without words that he and his warren was giving me something to remember by from what I have done with them. After placing the necklace around my neck, Hazel and I gave each other a hand/paw shake.

"I could have done more, Hazel." I whispered to him and he than shook his head. "I could have save another life of you rabbits."

"You have saved everyone's lives here. Look them. You have done so much." Hazel told me.

"I have been away from home for a long time... you have no idea." I chuckled in tears. "You and everyone gave me a place to live. I should have done more."

"There would be all generations in the future. For you helping us, find a new home and defending it from evil." He smiled.

"I didn't do enough."

"No... you have done enough." he comforted me.

I shook my head. "What about Lush? From _Efrafa_ , why could I have helped him more? He would have lived. I had experienced to help him if he was sick. Why didn't I help him get better?"

Two rabbits: Zen and River, that we saved from the quicksand stepped forward. "There's nothing more you could have done." River spoke. The rabbits than became emotionally from my regrets that I could have done more.

"What about finding Blackavar and Comet? Those two could have survived the ambush. We could have a search party and we might have find them in time. If I could have find them, they would have been treated for their injuries and they would have lived. What about Captain Holly? Why did I let him save me? I could have intervened. Another rabbit could have been spared from death. Just one. One more. One more, Hazel. He shouldn't have done it for me. He could have-" I went over to Hazel and started to cry dreadfully. "I could have saved another life! Why I didn't?! But I didn't!"

Hazel hugged back and comforted me, as he tried to calm me down. A few rabbits came to join in with a hug. I couldn't recall who came, because I was in tears and sobbing that I dropped my belongs. After minutes of crying and hugging, Hazel had me compose myself.

"There's nothing you could have done more. You were commendable and have shared with us so much about humans. Some dark as we know, as well most light that we may have not know of a humans. We both shared each other of different cultures and we embraced them. We'll never forget for what you taught us and what we taught to you. Every living beings deserved some respect." Hazel stated.

I nodded. "I won't forget you all. I love you all."

"We love you too. And we would never forget you as well, as long you remember us." Hazel stated.

"I will." I cleaned my tears and hugged him for the last time. "Goodbye... Hazel."

"Goodbye Andrew." he said back.

I than let go. Grabbed my belongings together, and finally put on my hat. I walked backwards to give them air kisses and waves of goodbyes. They waved goodbye back. I than began to walk ahead down the hill, as I kept looking back, as they hopped towards the edge of the down to see them in a straight line. As I kept going down, I couldn't look away from them, as they continued to look back at me. Especially when I finished climbing down and headed further away, I could still see them in a line, as they did the same and we never left eye contact with each other.

 _Are you ready?_ I than heard _The Black Rabbit_ asking me, if I was ready to leave. Tears fell from my eyes that I noticed the rabbits started to disappear that my heart began to break. I waved for the last time, as they waved back, before being vanished completely. _Don't worry about them. They'll be alright and I'll have them keep the memories that you shared with them, as I'll still let you keep the memories that you shared with them._

I nodded. "I'm ready."

 _Very well. I wish to you the best of luck and of all your journeys ahead._

After this word, I started to feel tired from walking that I ended up being in the woods. I sat down next to a pond and felt tired that I started to fall fast asleep, as I listened to all the voices of The Rabbits of Watership Down, before I went unconscious...

 _To Be Continued..._


	133. Episode 39: Epilogue Part 3

Epilogue Part 3

My eyes began to open... it was blurry. I started to see the ceiling that wasn't covered in dirt. There was a lightening that came from a window that was covered with blinds. My eyes finally became clear, as I looked down to see that I was in a bed. I had some tubes on my arms. I wasn't sure where I was nor what happened to me. I looked around to see my belongings were at the corner of the room. I heard the heart rate monitor beating. I than know that I was in a hospital and I woke up from my comma. Just like how it would turn out. I noticed some balloons and get well cards were there at a table. I was comfortable in the hospital's bed.

"I must be back in my world." I said to myself.

I than heard chattering coming nearby and came in was a doctor and a nurse. They turned to see me in gasp with surprise that I finally woke up.

"Good Lord, Mr. Wheeler?" the doctor questioned me.

"Yes." I answered.

"Are you Mr. Andrew Wheeler?" he asked me.

"Yes, of course. Why do you ask?"

He came over with the nurse. "Son, you were found at a woods not far from here. You were found unconscious by a couple."

"Really." I gently rubbed my head to felt bandage around my head.

"You were bonked from a falling log. You could have died, but you were in a coma for two to three years." he stated.

"For that long?"

"I'm afraid so." he answered with his head nodding.

"But I was trying to get home, but I ended up being with The Rabbits of Watership Down. I've been trying to get back to home for days, months into years!" I exclaimed.

"Now calm yourself, deary. You were probably dreaming from your coma." the nurse hushed me.

"Relax son. The nurse would have you go through inceptions to make sure you remember the last." the doctor calmed me down.

I nodded. He than left the room, with another doctor coming into the room to insist the nurse.

"Hello, Mr. Wheeler. My name is Dr. Ross. I'll be helping you with my fellow Nurse Rose. We'll just be asking you some questions since you woke up and to see how much you remember, alright?"

"Okay." I answered. The nurse had me positioned to set me up.

"Well sir, do you know what happened to you?" Dr. Ross asked me.

I was trying to remember what happened, but took me for some minutes, as he asked me twice. "Yes. I guess so."

"Are you sure? What happened?"

"I was traveling with a friend and we got lost and I got knocked out from a falling log." I answered.

"Okay, are you feeling okay?" he asked.

I nodded. "I'm okay."

He noticed my tone was different. "Are you sure, son? It doesn't sound like you're alright. Are you in pain?"

"Well..." I took time for me to think of a moment because I been through much. "My head slightly hurts a bit."

They gave me the basics about how I'm feeling, where does it hurt. Asking me if I remember anything when I was asleep. I did remember, until I remember some of the horrible things I experienced from _Efrafa_ , Woundwart and Vervain. That it kept me from saying anything. I basically dreamed that I was in a far away land not far from where we are. Basically that it was a dream, but I knew better that it was real. I began to tear up from the trauma. The doctor and the nurse assured me that I'm safe and I'm being taken care of.

"Does my family know where I'm? When I'll be able to speak to them?" I asked.

"Your family knows that you're in the hospital and they've been sending Get Well cards to you." Dr. Ross answered. "You'll be able to speak to them, after you're taken care of, son."

Joyful tears fell from my eyes. "Thank you."

"Your welcome, lad. Now I just need you to take some deep breaths and be calm. You're safe."

I took some deep breaths to compose myself, before they resumed the inspections and a fellow up check up. They found out that I had some trauma and guilt, as if something happened. They advised me to rest for the night and I'll be better to be discharged from the hospital the following day. While I was being treated, I decided to watch _Watership Down_. Both the TV Series and surprisingly, the miniseries of course. In the evening, a nurse came to do a check on. She noticed that I was watching and/or listening to _Watership Down_ all day, as she looked at the screen.

"Interesting, you been watching that show all day." she spoke.

"Yes, that's what I dreamed about." I said.

"Really? Do you remember seeing them or saying anything to them?" she than asked.

"Much more, ma'am. So much more than that."

She than nodded her head and dismissed it. She than turned off the lights, as she kept the TV on. I turned towards the window to see the night stars. I began to cry in relief that I was back in my own world.

"Thank you guys... thank you so much." I thanked The Rabbits of Watership Down in thought, before I closed my eyes and fall asleep. When I slept, I began to dream of flashbacks of important memories: meeting them for the first time, finding Watership Down, saving them from the weasel, Bigwig from the snare, Hazel being shot, freeing rabbits and eventually battling _Efrafa_ later on, until the end that we faced Woundwart for the last time.

* * *

In the following day, I was being discharged in the morning and told that a ride would escort me home. After I was in gear, I heard a heart rate monitor going off. Doctors and nurses rushed into the room next to mine. I only got a glimpse of a young woman that she was in her bed. She was bright and young around the same age as me. The heart rate monitor than went flat. They tried to revive her. After four attempts, they confirmed that she has passed from this world. They noted down the time that she passed. I looked over at the entrance to see the name on there. I than recognized the name right away... it was Sandy.

My heart broke apart that she's gone. Nurse came by that I asked her, what happened to the patient and how she got here. The nurse told me that she was in coma from having a similar experience as I did, but tumbled hard on her head that she went into a deep coma for years with series of complications. It was sad that Sandy had so much suffering that I never thought that she would drink the potion that would bring her back to her world... but only in death.

I didn't want to stay long, as the memories took the toll on me. I was being escorted out to a cab and the driver is willing to drive me to the airport. On our way there, I noticed the farm that the rabbits and I have raided a dozen of times. Further out of the distance, I could still see the beech tree still there and alone at the down. I told the driver to hold, before continuing. The driver was very patient that I was able to walk towards the down. After a short walk, I arrived at the down and was able to approach to the beech tree. However, I didn't see my friends from Watership Down. It was nothing but silence and the wind blowing the tree branches. However, I did found a small hole from the bottom of the tree root, possibly another group of rabbits maybe living there.

A bark came out of nowhere. I looked around to see where the bark came from. It was a small beagle that came up the hill. His tail was wagging and rushed towards me. He was starting to give me kisses and I could assume that he's a lost dog. The dog stopped wagging his tail and tried to communicate to me by barking. I wasn't for sure why the dog was barking and/or why the dog is loose around the down. He than started to whimper.

"Dog?"

The dog looked at me and wagged his tail barked. I couldn't believe! I forgot to say goodbye to one of my friends there. However, in retrospect, he was still considered a loss dog. He was very happy to see me that he continued to give me kisses.

"Alright, boy. Take it easy. Still haven't found your owner?"

The dog whimpered and looked down.

"Well... I'm heading back home. How about you like to live with me?" With joy, Dog jumped on me and started to playfully give me dog kisses again. I got up, picked him up, and started to head our way back to the cab. I took a final moment to look back at the same beech tree to say my final goodbye. "Goodbye everyone, take care."

And so, we arrived back to the cab and were being driven to the airport. When we got there, I was given a free non-stop flight back to the states, as they were expecting me to arrive at the airport for my return flight. They managed to find a dog crate for Dog, so he was taken care of while I was heading through security and to my gate. When I got there, there were nothing but empty seats. I see other travelers just passing through and whisper amongst themselves. So I sat near towards the gateway's entrance to the plane.

Someone than opened the door and walked towards me. It was the captain of this flight. "Excuse me sir, are you Andrew?"

"Yeah." I answered.

"Pardon for the intrusion sir, but your name is the only one on the manifest. When you're ready, we could escort you to your seat."

I was ready. I was being escorted to the plane and find myself a row of empty seats. I guess this flight was personally arranged for me. "Feel free to seat anywhere as you please." I decided to find a empty first-class seat to a window. "You must be very important, lad. Where do you want to go?"

I knew where I wanted to go... home. So he didn't bother to go further and had two flight attendants preparing for the flight safety, as every was closed up and the plane began to back away from the gate. As the plane was heading to be taken off, in a very small, tiniest glimpse, I was able to see the down. I began to tear from my eyes that I wasn't going to see everyone again... only to remember that I dreamed of it while being in a coma. After the sight was than block from the plane's turn to be taken off... it was the last sight of Watership Down. I had my movies to keep me company, but I didn't bother to use it at this time nor using my phone. I just simply watched the plane lift from the airfield and starting ascending to high altitude. As my seat was tightened, I pressed my face at the window to watch a small world turn into a large, but everything was small down to like ant sizes. I than fell asleep with a tear fall from my eye, with grief and relief that I was returning home, while saying goodbye to everyone I knew.

After long hours of flight, I arrived back to California. When I got to the gate, every news media of reporters tries to take photos and/or recordings of me and tried to interview me. The overbearing of seeing the media, I rushed quickly while being guarded by airport security, I was able to retrieve the rest of my belongings and Dog, before taken into a cab and drove quickly out of site. I was driven from the airport to the city of Sacramento, and than back to my hometown. I was than being surprised by my family at my door step. I wasn't overjoyed, but happy to see their faces again, since it was been for so long. I apologized for my late arrival back home, but my mother told me that I had nothing to apologize about it. We than cling tight together for the rest of the day, before they all departed back to their homes. I was able to share with them of my experiences of traveling with my co worker. I was then being told that my employer had me put on temporary leave, due to my accident. And about my promotion, they had it on hold, until I returned.

* * *

For over a week, after I left Watership Down, I felt very alienated from everyone. Probably because I was used to see a small world that I was easily accepted. However, in the real world, it turned out to have different outcomes, either to be accepted or not. I didn't do much, except stayed home and did... nothing. I simply stayed at home only to see the reporters still stationary outside my house. I see every news outlets waiting for me to give them a story, but I didn't want to go into mass media either they won't believe me or they would spread lies and gossip, as they always have about something or someone.

Only in the nights, when they all leave, I was able to walk outside with my dog to breathe and smell the nightly air. I was able to look at the stars above us and it reminded me of what Hazel and I spoke about stars. However, it was too painful to remember because it would probably trigger something worst or that I would start missing them very terribly.

I continued to have dreams of traumatic events back in Watership Down: being captured by Woundwart, the dreams I had before I woke up, the battles in _Efrafa_ and Watership Down. It always ended to see Captain Holly's life taken by Woundwart that I woke up in sweat and breathing heavily, with shakiness too. I couldn't help, but decided to take a nightly stroll around the neighborhood. I than ended up being at a park. There wasn't a swing set for me to sit on, but I found a empty grassy field that I decided to lie down and watch the stars. I didn't want to return home and wonder if my friends at Watership Down are safe. Are they over Holly's death? Are they at peace again? Did Woundwart and Vervain return back? I was sure, but I wanted to know.

 _Delivery Message._

I looked around to see, if someone else was here. I got up to see a... it was a Message Bird. It must be Tyler's Message Bird! I did the procedure to wake the bird to hear the message. Instead of saying the message, it laid down a roll of paper. Like it was a message.

 _Message to Andrew from Tyler and Rabbits of Watership Down_. The Message Bird spoke.

I rolled the message to see it was written. Strangely odd, that rabbits paws that they couldn't write... unless it was from Tyler that he must have raided the farm to find a piece of paper and pencil to write.

 _Dear Andrew,_

 _Since you have left Watership Down, everyone couldn't stop talking about you. We missed you terribly. I decided to raid the farm to find a piece of paper and pencil so everyone could say in this letter. We understand that you had to return home to see your family and go back to your human life. It maybe unfortunate that you'll have to deal with the unfriendly and sinister people that you have to deal with daily. However, you taught us that humans are at times good than bad. Our advice to you is to keep looking hard enough as you had before. Hopefully, we're able to see you again. However, if this letter arrives in case we departed to Frith's Meadow or your life has obstacles from seeing us again, we wanted to let you know that everyone loves you and you're always have a home with us in Watership Down. It's best that you have to carry on with kindness, faithfulness, bravery, and selflessness, as you have shown at our world. The very last thing you don't want to forget my ol' son, as long you remember us as we remember you, we have each other in our hearts and... we're your family as well._

 _Sincerely_ _yours, Hazel and The Rabbits of Watership Down_

I clanged onto the letter for dear to my heart, as if I heard everyone's voices were in that letter. My tears fell more, as I didn't hear one more voice... Holly's. I looked at the letter to see a special statement.

 _P.S._ _Look behind you._

I looked behind me to see a rabbit was sitting down on the grass. I was too dark to recognize the rabbit. "Do I know you?"

The rabbit chuckled. "We have seen each other before, brother."

I recognized the voice... it was Holly. "Holly..." I than remembered that he was dead. "Are you... a-"

"A spirit?" Holly chuckled. "Yes."

"Oh... why are you all the way out here?" I asked.

"I thought to come from _Frith_ to say goodbye." I was shocked from what he said. "There's always a saying that 'you could never leave without saying goodbye'."

A tear fell that I compose myself. "Is everyone alright?"

Holly came towards me and sat beside me. "I managed to have a glimpse of them. They're at peace again. Woundwart and Vervain haven't returned, but noticed that they found a warren away from there. I promise you though that they're not the same, unlike before. Life returned to Watership Down, as new kittens arrived at the down. However, they was always one thing missing from them... you."

I nodded. "It figures."

"You haven't forgotten about us already?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No, it's just... it's just too painful. I've been dreaming of war we have to face and always ending with you dying."

"Don't grief, lad. I'm well and content. I'm with my family and friends again from Sandleford. And soon, I'll be seeing everyone eventually from Watership Down. And of course, I'll see you soon too." Holly warmly smiled with his paw on my hand.

"I hope so too." I agreed.

"Well... I'm off." He than stood up was about to leave.

"Holly wait!" I managed to stop him, before he left. He turned back.

"Yes?"

"I... I love you, Captain Holly. Thank you for finding my way home and I'm sorry you have gone through suffering for it." I spoke.

"'There is not a day or night but a doe offers her life for her kittens, or some honest captain of Owsla his life for his Chief Rabbit's. Sometimes it is taken, sometimes it is not. But there is no bargain, for here, what is, is what must be'." Holly quoted.

I got up to walk towards him and got down to his level. I couldn't help, but give him a hug. That he found it little surprising, even with a kiss. "Thank you." I whispered in tears.

He gently patted me with his paw. "Your welcome, brother. Now you have to let me go."

I held onto him for three minutes, until I had to let him go. As he was hopping away and beginning to disappear into thin air, he looked back at me and smiled. "Tell your story about us... as you promised Dandelion." After he departed from Earth, I started to remember the promise that I made to Dandelion.

It took me over a few days to think about it. Until it was the day after I got back to work, I decided to write. Starting to say that I refused to take my promotion and decided to give to my other co-worker who was longing for it. He was shocked and asked me why. I basically told him that I got plans on my own anyway. From then on, I continued to work on the same department as always. At the same time, I started to write this story of my adventures of being knocked unconscious to wake up in another world... a world of rabbits. I have made great friends along the way, done so much adventures together, fought together and each other at times of doubt, before reconciling with each other. We enjoy each other of the funniest moments we have to the saddest moments. Our hellos and goodbyes. Sharing each other different ways of thinking and tolerating them. My only advice to you is to enjoy the moments you have and have more faith, as I managed to recover. Even though it could be slow or maybe not be perfect. It's always a start and key to a happy life. At one day, I looked at my phone to see that I still have photos that I took with the rabbits of Watership Down. I never intend to share with them nor have anyone try exploit it. I intended to keep the images onto a safe flash drive, for whenever I'm sad and/or need to talk to. My friends would always be there in the photos I took and videos that were recorded to help keep my memories with them alive. After finishing this story, I thought about using my pen name for this story too... _Richard Adams_.

 **The End**


	134. What Comes Next

And there you have it folks! Watership Down TV Series Remake. I hope you all have enjoyed reading this remake of TV adaptation of Watership Down. I wanted to thank my fellow readers, followers, reviewers, and the ones who favorite this remake. I also wanted to give special thank you to those, who helped me throughout this remake: most of thanks goes to my co-author 5UP3RN0V4, and others who contributed: Gotham317, randomkungfupandfan, and Redwalllover28. I also wanted to give a special thank you to Fox Teen for inspiration for the Watership Down stories I have before, including this one. As well to others I have read, including Chipster-Roo.

Special Note: For those who liked this Watership Down TV Series Remake, please if you have the time, feel free to read the Watership Down Miniseries Remake that I wrote back in December 2018, after watching the Watership Down Miniseries on Netflix. And also feel free to review it as well, I appreciate your feedback and comments. Thank you!

What comes next... who knows. I have seen some requests to do other series remakes like _Animals of Farthing Wood_ and _Redwall_. I'll still try to look into it, as well that I have other stories to complete too, including a Watership Down Crossover, Mulit-Crossover story, Zootopia, and Pokemon as well. I'll have to resume the Watership Down Crossover soon as I can, before getting back with the others and eventually trying to think of new stories and/or short ones too. Stay Tuned for more stories coming around soon!


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